Component feeding mechanism

Abstract

To provide a component feeding mechanism capable of easily feeding a component to a target position.SOLUTION: A component feeding mechanism comprises: a component holder 42 which holds a component; and a feeding line 41 to which the component holder 42 is attached and which is operated in a longitudinal direction and is arranged so as to pass through a target position to which the component holder 42 feeds the component. The component may be a fixture to be fastened to a structure C by a fastener ejected from a riveting machine 50. The target position may be an ejection position at which the fastener can be ejected from the riveting machine 50 to fasten the fixture to the structure C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanism for sending parts related to work to an appropriate place when performing operations such as nailing to a structure such as a ceiling.

Background Art

[0002] Buildings such as buildings may be provided with ducts for the purpose of air conditioning, ventilation, exhaust, etc. As such a duct, a tubular body called a flexible duct (also referred to as a flex duct, flex tube, flexible pipe, etc.) is often used. A flexible duct having flexibility and capable of being bent is excellent in layout properties, can easily cope with the situation of the installation location and the required duct branch structure, etc., and is convenient.

[0003] A flexible duct is installed, for example, in a form suspended from a structure such as a ceiling using a suspension tool such as a wire. When installing such a flexible duct, for example, while an operator ascends to a height near the ceiling using an elevating cart, an aerial work vehicle, or a stepladder, etc., the duct with the suspension tool attached is lifted up to the vicinity. A plate for fixing to the ceiling is attached to the suspension tool, and the operator arranges the plate at the target position on the ceiling and drives in a fixture (nail) using a nailing machine (also referred to as a nail gun, etc.) from below. In this way, the duct is installed in a form suspended via a suspension tool such as a wire from the plate fixed to the ceiling.

[0004] In addition, as prior art documents disclosing the mounting structure of this type of duct and the technology related to its work, for example, there are the following Patent Documents 1, 2, etc.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The installation work of the duct as described above is carried out, for example, in such a manner that one worker holds the duct and ascends to a height near the ceiling with a lift truck to support the duct at that height, and another worker ascends to the vicinity with a lift truck and drives a nail into the plate of the hanger attached to the duct. In such work, the worker ascends and descends for each one to several locations where the nail driving is performed, and each time it is necessary to lift heavy objects such as the duct and the nail driver, which is very complicated and requires a great deal of labor.

[0007] If such work can be replaced by a machine, it is expected that a large amount of labor and working time can be saved. However, when the series of processes of duct installation is subdivided, several operations to be performed are included therein (for example, raising and lowering the nail driver and the duct, holding them at an appropriate height, sending parts (plates) for attachment to the nail driver and the ceiling to be attached to an appropriate position and holding them there, operating the nail driver, etc.). Therefore, when considering automation, it is necessary to prepare appropriate mechanisms for each of these multiple operations.

[0008] In view of such circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a parts feeding mechanism capable of easily feeding parts to a target position.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The present invention relates to a parts feeding mechanism characterized by comprising a parts holder for holding parts to be fed, and a feed cable to which the parts holder is attached and which is routed so as to pass through a target position where the parts holder feeds the parts and operates in the longitudinal direction.

[0010] In the parts feeding mechanism of the present invention, the feed cable can be routed so as to follow the expansion and contraction operation of a mechanism configured to be expandable and contractible.

[0011] In the component feeding mechanism of the present invention, the telescopically configured mechanism includes a moving part that is movably attached in the vertical direction, and the target position for feeding the component can be configured to be on the side of the moving part.

[0012] In the component feeding mechanism of the present invention, the component is a fixture that is struck against a structure by a fastener ejected from a riveting machine, and the target position can be the ejection position where, if the fastener is ejected in the riveting machine, the fixture can be struck against the structure by the fastener.

Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the component feeding mechanism of the present invention, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect of easily feeding the component to the target position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Figure 8

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Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

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

[0016] FIG. 1 shows an example of the form of a duct suspension work device to which the part feeding mechanism of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows the form of a duct attached to a target structure (here, assuming a ceiling) using the suspension work device. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, the main configurations of the suspension work device and its respective parts are schematically shown, and details are omitted as necessary. The same applies to FIGS. 3, 4, 10 to 14 described later.

[0017] Before explaining the hanging work device, the attachment structure of the duct will be explained. A duct D, which is a flexible duct (also referred to as a flexible duct, flexible pipe, flexible tube, hose, etc., but hereinafter simply referred to as "duct" in this specification), is a flexible tube formed by winding a heat insulating material and a covering material around a spiral framework, as shown in FIG. 2 for example. On the outer peripheral surface of the duct D, a flap extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at one location in the circumferential direction, and the flap is provided with holes H at regular intervals. By passing a hanging tool W, which is a wire, through the hole H, the duct D can be supported or fixed to an appropriate object via the hanging tool W (here, a wire is exemplified as the hanging tool, but the hanging tool may be any component as long as it can appropriately support and fix the duct D. For example, the hanging tool may be configured as a thin plate-like metal member. Also, when supporting and fixing the duct D using the hanging tool, it is not necessarily required to use the hole H. For example, the duct D may be supported by winding the hanging tool around the outer peripheral surface of the duct D).

[0018] The hanging tool W, which is a wire, is provided with annular portions at both ends. One end is passed through the hole H, and an attachment tool P is attached to the other end. The attachment tool P is, for example, a metal plate, which is penetrated by a fixing tool S such as a nail and struck against a structure C such as a ceiling that is the support target of the duct D. In this way, the attachment tool P is fixed to the structure C by the fixing tool S, and the duct D is suspended from the attachment tool P by the hanging tool W, so that the duct D is supported with respect to the structure C.

[0019] The hanging work of the duct D with respect to the structure C by such various components can be performed using the hanging work device 100 shown in FIG. 1. The hanging work device 100 is configured to include a base portion 10, a lifting portion 20, a duct support portion 30, a component feeding portion 40, and a fixing tool injection portion 50.

[0020] The base part 10 is the main body part of the suspension working device 100 which is assembled with these constituent parts as a whole and configured to be movable while supporting them. The base part 10 is configured to include a metal framework such as stainless steel, etc., and is provided with a moving part 11 such as wheels at the lower part so as to be able to move on the ground or the floor surface.

[0021] Also, a moving handle 12 for moving the entire suspension working device 100 including the base part 10 is attached to the base part 10. The moving handle 12 is a rod-shaped handle extending upward from a wheel as the moving part 11 attached to the lower part of the front side (the left side in FIG. 1) of the base part 10. By grasping the handle at the tip formed in a T shape and moving it forward, backward, left, and right, the base part 10 can be moved on the floor. Also, the wheels at the lower part of the moving handle 12 are configured to rotate together with the moving handle 12. When the moving handle 12 is rotated in the direction around its axis, the said wheels also rotate together with the moving handle 12, and thereby, the moving direction of the base part 10 by the moving part 11 can be operated. Also, a display part 62 and an operation part 63 described later are attached near the upper part of the moving handle 12. An operator handling the suspension working device 100 can refer to the display of the display part 62 at a position where the operation handle 12 can be operated, and can execute the moving operation of the suspension working device 100 by the operation handle 12 and the operation input to the operation part 63 at a close position.

[0022] The elevating part 20 is a mechanism that supports the duct support part 30 and the fastener injection part 50 and raises and lowers them to the height at which the attachment work of the duct D is carried out. The elevating part 20 includes a column member 21 provided along the vertical direction on the upper surface of the base part 10 and a support frame 22 attached to the column member 21. The column member 21 is configured to be telescopic by a mechanism such as a rack and pinion (not shown), and as the column member 21 expands and contracts, the support frame 22, which is a moving part attached to the column member 21, moves up and down with respect to the base part 10. A part of the component feeding part 40 is supported on the support frame 22 together with the duct support part 30 and the fastener injection part 50, and these are raised and lowered together with the support frame 22. Incidentally, the mechanism for raising and lowering these component parts may be anything as long as they can be suitably raised and lowered to the target height. For example, a mechanism using a winch and a wire rope or a hydraulic lifting device may be used.

[0023] The duct support part 30 is a part that supports the duct D, is attached to the support frame 22 of the elevating part 20, supports the duct D that is the object of the hanging operation, and lifts it together with the rising of the support frame 22.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the duct support part 30 is configured by combining rod-shaped frameworks so as to form a substantially quadrangular prism shape as a whole, and the duct D can pass through the center part along the vertical direction. The substantially quadrangular prism-shaped duct support part 30 forms a substantially rectangle in plan view, and a part corresponding to one side (referred to as the fixed part 31) is fixed to the support frame 22 of the elevating part 20.

[0025] Of the duct support part 30, two sides (referred to as the telescopic parts 32) adjacent to the fixed part 31 in plan view are configured to expand and contract in a direction orthogonal to the fixed part 31 by sliding their constituent members relative to each other. As a result, the part forming the side facing the fixed part 31 in plan view (referred to as the movable part 33) is configured to be able to adjust the distance with respect to the fixed part 31.

[0026] The mechanism of the telescopic part 32 for adjusting the distance between the fixed part 31 and the movable part 33 is as follows, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, on the fixed part 31 side, a feed screw 32a is attached so as to extend in a direction along the telescopic part 32 (the direction in which the side forming the fixed part 31 and the movable part 33 face each other, that is, the direction orthogonal to these). The base part and the tip part of the feed screw 32a are fixed to the fixed part 31 side. A nut (not shown) as a member on the movable part 33 side is rotatably attached to the intermediate part, and a manual telescopic handle 32b is attached to the fixed part 31 side at the position on the tip side. The nut is configured to rotate in conjunction with the operation of the telescopic handle 32b. When the telescopic handle 32b is rotated, the position of the nut with respect to the feed screw 32a moves along the axial direction of the feed screw 32a, and at the same time, the movable part 33 to which the nut is attached moves along the axial direction of the feed screw 32a. Thereby, the distance between the movable part 33 to which the nut is attached and the fixed part 31 can be adjusted. In FIG. 4, the illustration of the telescopic mechanism by the feed screw 32a and the telescopic handle 32b is omitted.

[0027] Inside the substantially quadrangular prism-shaped frame constituting the duct support part 30, support rollers 34 are provided in contact with the duct D and supporting it while partially allowing its movement. In the case of this embodiment, a total of eight support rollers 34 are attached to the duct support part 30 in two upper and lower stages, four in each stage. Among the four support rollers 34 located on the upper side, two are attached to the fixed part 31 side and two are attached to the movable part 33 side, respectively. Similarly, among the four support rollers 34 located on the lower side, two are attached to the fixed part 31 side and two are attached to the movable part 33 side, respectively. Assuming a quadrangular prism with a rectangle as the bottom surface inside the duct support part 30, the support rollers 34 are located at a total of eight positions corresponding to the vertices.

[0028] Each support roller 34 is rotatably attached to the tip of a support member 34a provided so as to project from the fixed part 31 or the movable part 33 to the inside of the duct support part 30. Each support member 34a is a member formed in a Y shape in plan view, with its base fixed to the fixed part 31 or the movable part 33, and each of the bifurcated tips supports one support roller 34 respectively. The rotation axis of each support roller 34 is set at an angle along the circumferential direction of the duct D passed through the duct support part 30. Inside the duct support part 30, four support rollers 34 provided in two upper and lower rows respectively surround the outer peripheral surface of the duct D and project toward the duct D, and a part of the outer peripheral surface of each support roller 34 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the duct D (Note that, as used in this specification, "along" does not only mean that the positions and angles of both completely coincide, but also includes cases where they are adjacent and extend in generally the same direction or form generally the same angle).

[0029] Each support roller 34 is adapted to rotate only in the same one direction with respect to the axis of the duct D supported inside the duct support part 30. In the case of this embodiment, as described above, the duct D is supported inside the duct support part 30 with its axis along the vertical direction. With respect to the duct D in such a posture, the support roller 34 is attached to the duct support part 30 at an angle where the rotation axis is along the horizontal direction and the rotation direction is along the vertical direction. And each support roller 34 rotates only in the direction in which the portion of its outer peripheral surface that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the duct D moves upward, and conversely (by an appropriate mechanism not shown), does not rotate. Examples of such a mechanism that allows rotation only in one direction and restricts rotation in the other direction include a ratchet mechanism.

[0030] In addition, each support roller 34 is made of a material having flexibility in the portion forming the rotating surface (for example, soft urethane resin). When the portion in contact with the duct D is deformed, the rotating surface of the support roller 34 follows the surface of the duct D, and by contacting over a wide area, the frictional force can be maintained to suitably support the duct D. As described above, a flexible duct used as a duct of an air conditioning facility or the like has a structure in which a heat insulating material or the like is wound around a framework formed of, for example, a thin spiral metal. When viewed from the outside, the portion of the heat insulating material located between the frameworks is flexible, but the portion with the framework is hard. When supporting the duct D, which is such a flexible duct, by the support roller 34, when the support roller 34 contacts the heat insulating material portion, mainly the heat insulating material on the duct D side is deformed so that the two fit, and when the support roller 34 contacts the framework portion, the flexible material on the support roller 34 side is deformed so that the two fit. When the duct D moves in the axial direction while being supported by the support roller 34, the material on the support roller 34 side deforms as necessary, so that the hard portion with the framework of the duct D can be overcome and smooth movement is possible. Also, although a general urethane roller often has a shape in which the middle portion bulges outward in the axial direction (the diameter is formed larger at the center than at both axial ends), the support roller 34 in this embodiment is a cylindrical shape with the same diameter at any position in the axial direction. With this shape, the flexible material is easily deformed to fit the shape of the duct D. Incidentally, as a mechanism for causing the support roller 34 to follow the duct D, in addition to adopting such a flexible material, for example, a mechanism in which the support roller 34 is biased from the support member 34a to the duct D by an elastic body such as a wire winding spring can also obtain the same effect (the followability of the support roller 34 with respect to the duct D).

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, in the duct support portion 30, a duct D is passed vertically through the center thereof, and the duct D is supported in such a manner that four support rollers 34 are in contact with the outer peripheral surface thereof. The support roller 34 contacts the duct D in a partial region of the outer peripheral surface that protrudes toward the center of the duct support portion 30. Since the support roller 34 rotates only in the direction in which the portion in contact with the duct D moves upward, in the state where the support roller 34 is in contact with the duct D as shown in the figure, the movement of the duct D is allowed only upward by the rotation of the support roller 34, and the downward movement is restricted by the frictional force with the outer peripheral surface of the support roller 34. Thereby, in a state where the duct D is passed through the inside of the duct support portion 30 along the vertical direction, the duct D does not fall downward due to its own weight from the duct support portion 30 and is supported by the duct support portion 30. On the other hand, since the upward movement of the duct D is allowed, the operation of sending the duct D upward is possible. Further, when it is desired to set the duct D in the duct support portion 30, if the end portion of the duct D is passed from below to above with respect to the duct support portion 30, the duct D can be smoothly passed through the duct support portion 30 by the rotation of the support roller 34 and can be supported as it is.

[0032] Further, as described above, the duct support portion 30 is configured such that the expansion and contraction portion 32 expands and contracts. As a result, the distance between the support roller 34 attached to the fixed portion 31 side and the support roller 34 attached to the movable portion 33 can be adjusted. When the distance between these support rollers 34 changes, the diameter of the virtual cylinder determined by the points (contact points with the duct D) on the outer peripheral surface of each support roller 34 on the center side of the duct support portion 30 changes. The diameter of this virtual cylinder is, that is, the outer diameter of the duct D that can be supported by a total of eight support rollers 34. With this mechanism, in the duct support portion 30, the distance between the support rollers 34 is adjusted according to the outer diameter of the duct D to be supported, so that ducts D with various diameters can be supported.

[0033] Here, the case where only one set of the duct support portion 30 is provided on the support frame 22 of the elevating portion 20 has been exemplified, but two or more sets of the duct support portion 30 may be provided for one suspension working device 100. For example, although not shown, two sets of the duct support portion 30, one set on the support frame 22 side and one set on the support column 21 side in the elevating portion 20, may be provided to increase the supporting force of the duct D by the duct support portion 30 or suppress the displacement of the duct D. Alternatively, it is also possible to change the direction of the duct D in the duct support portion 30 to another direction (for example, configure the support roller 34 and the surrounding frame so as to support the duct D horizontally).

[0034] The component feeding portion 40 is a portion that undertakes many functions as a feeding mechanism among the suspension working device 100 of the present embodiment. The component feeding portion 40 is a mechanism for feeding a component (attachment tool P) attached to the duct D via a suspension tool W to a target position (here, the injection position; if the retainer S is injected from the retainer injection portion 50, the attachment tool P can be attached to the object (structure C) by the retainer S). The component feeding portion 40 includes a feeding cable 41 and a component holder 42 attached to the feeding cable 41.

[0035] The feeding cable 41 is, for example, an endless metal chain and is wound around pulleys 43 provided at various locations of the suspension working device 100. The pulleys 43 are respectively provided on the base portion 10 of the suspension working device 100 and the support frame 22 of the elevating portion 20. That is, the feeding cable 41 wound around these pulleys 43 is routed from the base portion 10 to the support frame 22 in the suspension working device 100. In particular, on the support frame 22 side which is a moving portion attached to the telescopic mechanism (the column member 21 of the elevating portion 20), the feeding cable 41 is routed so that the attachment tool P passes through the injection position on the support frame 22 side.

[0036] As the support frame 22 in the elevating / lowering section 20 moves up and down, among the pulleys 43 provided in the suspension working device 100, the pulley 43 disposed on the support frame 22 side moves vertically with respect to the pulley 43 disposed on the base section 10 side. Along with this, the feed rope 41 as a whole extends and contracts vertically (among the feed rope 41, the portion wound around the pulley 43 on the support frame 22 side moves vertically with respect to the portion wound around the pulley 43 on the base section 10 side).

[0037] Here, the expression that the feed rope 41 "extends and contracts" is used, but this does not mean that the overall length of the feed rope 41 itself fluctuates. Instead, it means that due to the change in the positional relationship between the pulleys 43, the routing state of the feed rope 41 fluctuates. A mechanism that can move relative to each other is provided for the plurality of pulleys 43 disposed on the base section 10 side. When the distance between the pulley 43 on the base section 10 side and the pulley 43 on the support frame 22 side changes as the support frame 22 moves up and down, some of the pulleys 43 on the base section 10 side are displaced accordingly, so as to absorb the change in the distance between the pulley 43 on the base section 10 side and the pulley 43 on the support frame 22 side.

[0038] Specifically, the cable laying adjustment mechanism of this feed cable 41 is, for example, a mechanism as follows. As shown in FIG. 1, in the base portion 10, the feed cable 41 is wound around a plurality of pulleys 43 arranged vertically so as to be folded back, and some of these plurality of pulleys 43 are configured to have their positions vary with respect to the other pulleys 43. In the case of the example shown here, the pulley 43 located on the upper side is fixed to the base portion 10 (this is referred to as the "fixed pulley"), while the pulley 43 located on the lower side is configured to slide vertically (this is referred to as the "movable pulley"). Further, the lower movable pulley 43 is biased downward by a weight 43a. When the support frame 22 rises, a part of the feed cable 41 is thereby pulled upward and lifted, and due to the tension of the feed cable 41, the lower movable pulley 43 in the base portion 10 is lifted against the weight of the weight 43a attached to the movable pulley 43. As shown in the example of FIG. 1, the feed cable 31 is stretched vertically between the lower movable pulley 43 and the upper fixed pulley 43. When the number of installed lower movable pulleys 43 is n [pieces] (in the illustrated example, n = 2), if the support frame 22 rises by x [m], each movable pulley 43 rises by an average of x / n [m], whereby the elongation of the feed cable 41 accompanying the rise of the support frame 22 is absorbed.

[0039] Thus, in the above cable laying adjustment mechanism, not only is the tension of the feed cable 41 simply maintained, but also in accordance with the variation in the cable laying state of the feed cable 41 (the variation in the cable laying position accompanying the movement of a part of the portion where the feed cable 41 is laid (support frame 22) with respect to the other portion where the feed cable 41 is laid (base portion)), the expansion and contraction of the feed cable 41 is absorbed.

[0040] In this way, the increase in the distance between the pulley 43 on the support frame 22 side and the pulley 43 on the base portion 10 side due to the upward movement of the support frame 22 is absorbed by the approach of the upper and lower pulleys 43 in the base portion 10, and an appropriate cable arrangement state of the feed cable 41 of a certain length is maintained. When the support frame 22 descends, the distance between the pulley 43 on the support frame 22 side and the pulley 43 on the base portion 10 side decreases. However, on the base portion 10 side, the lower pulley 43 in the base portion 10 descends by the biasing force of the weight 43a, and the increase in the distance between the upper and lower pulleys 43 on the base portion 10 side absorbs the decrease in the distance between the pulley 43 on the support frame 22 side and the pulley 43 on the base portion 10 side.

[0041] With such a cable arrangement adjustment mechanism, the feed cable 41 is arranged so as to follow the telescopic movement of the lifting and lowering portion 20, which is a mechanism configured to be telescopic. That is, even if the cable arrangement state in the suspension working device 100 of the feed cable 41 varies with the telescopic movement of the support frame 22, the length of the feed cable 41 does not vary significantly, and an appropriate tension is maintained, and it does not loosen and deviate from the pulley 43. Note that the mechanism for allowing the variation in the cable arrangement state of the feed cable 41 with the telescopic movement of the support frame 22 is not limited to the example described here, and an appropriate mechanism can be adopted as appropriate. For example, instead of the biasing by the self-weight of the weight 43a, the pulley 43 may be biased by an elastic body such as a spiral spring, or a mechanism for adjusting the position of the pulley 43 by power from a motor or the like is also conceivable. Note that separately from this mechanism, a part of the pulley 43 is biased with respect to the suspension working device 100 by an elastic body (not shown) or the like, and thus functions as a tensioner that applies an appropriate tension to the feed cable 41 wound around the pulley 43.

[0042] Also, a part of the pulley 43 is configured as a driving pulley provided with a power mechanism by a motor or gears (not shown), and the endless feed cable 41 can be fed along the longitudinal direction by the rotation of this driving pulley. At that time, the remaining pulleys 43 function as driven pulleys and are interlocked with the operation of the feed cable 41.

[0043] With the simple mechanism as described above, the component feeder 40 of this embodiment can suitably feed the component P to the target position (injection position) in the suspension working device 100 equipped with a telescoping (ascending and descending vertically) mechanism.

[0044] Further, the feed rope 41 is provided with a locking mechanism 44 for locking the feeding operation of the feed rope 41. In the case of this embodiment, this locking mechanism 44 includes an upper locking mechanism 44a provided on the support frame 22 side for restricting the movement of the feed rope 41 with respect to the support frame 22, and a lower locking mechanism 44b provided on the base portion 10 side for restricting the movement of the feed rope 41 with respect to the base portion 10. The upper locking mechanism 44a is located upstream of the injection position with respect to the forward direction of the movement of the feed rope 41 due to the rotation of the pulley 43, and locks the feed rope 41 with respect to the support frame 22 here. The lower locking mechanism 44b is located downstream of the support frame 22 with respect to the forward direction of the movement of the feed rope 41 due to the rotation of the pulley 43, and locks the feed rope 41 with respect to the base portion 10 here.

[0045] The component holder 42 and the fixture P will be described. The fixture P may have any configuration as long as it is a component that is struck against a structure C such as a ceiling by a fastener S such as a nail. In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, it is configured as a metal plate having an L-shaped cross section. Of the two surfaces formed by the fixture P, one surface (referred to as the striking portion P1) is configured to be struck against the structure C by the fastener S, and a hole P3 is provided in the other surface (referred to as the suspension portion P2) so as to penetrate the surface formed by the suspension portion P2, and the end of the suspension tool W is attached here. The position of the hole P3 in the suspension portion P2 is near the bending line forming the boundary between the striking portion P1 and the suspension portion P2, and is a position shifted to one side (a position close to the edge of the suspension portion P2) with respect to the extending direction of the bending line. Further, at an appropriate position of the suspension portion P2 (a position corresponding to the pressing portion 42k of the component holder 42 described later), a hole P4 is provided as an engaging portion for engaging with the pressing portion 42k separately from the hole P3. The configuration and function of the hole P4 and the pressing portion 42k will be described again later.

[0046] The component holder 42 holds the fixture P by holding the hanging part P2 of the fixture P having the above-described configuration. The component holder 42 is configured to include a holding part 42b for supporting the fixture P and a mounting part 42c for being mounted on the feed cable 41 in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped resin main body part 42a.

[0047] The component holder 42 is mounted on the feed cable 41 and moves together with the feeding operation of the feed cable 41, and its posture changes according to the position on the feed cable 41. However, at least at the injection position near the injection port of the later-described stopper injection part 50, it is held by the feed cable 41 at an angle of lifting the striking part P1 of the fixture P upward. In this specification, based on this state, each surface of the main body part 42a is defined. That is, among the six surfaces of the rectangular parallelepiped main body part 42a, the surface located on the upper side at the angle of lifting the striking part P1 of the fixture P upward is defined as the upper surface 42d, and the surface located on the lower side is defined as the lower surface 42e. Further, among the remaining four surfaces, the surface provided with the holding part 42b is defined as the front surface 42f, the opposite side thereof is defined as the back surface 42g, and the other surfaces are referred to as the first side surface 42h and the second side surface 42i.

[0048] The holding part 42b is provided on the front surface 42f of the main body part 42a, and is a part that supports by sandwiching a part (the hanging part P2) of the fixture P which is a plate-shaped part. The sheath part 42j that constitutes the holding part 42b is formed in a C-shaped cross-section by bending a plate-shaped member made of metal, and is provided so as to cover from the first side surface 42h to the front surface 42f and the second side surface 42i of the main body part 42a. Both ends of the sheath part 42j are fixed to the first side surface 42h and the second side surface 42i respectively with fastening tools 42n such as bolts, and the central part is installed at a distance slightly larger than the thickness of the hanging part P2 of the fixture P with respect to the front surface 42f of the main body part 42a. In the case of this embodiment, two fastening tools 42n are provided vertically on the first side surface 42h, and one is provided on the second side surface 42i. At these three points in total, the sheath part 42j is fixed to the main body part 42a. The positions of the three fastening tools 42n in the main body part 42a are not aligned in a straight line with each other, and form the vertices of a virtual substantially right triangle. It is assumed that external forces are applied to the sheath part 42j from various directions from the fixture P etc. held by the holding part 42b, and such external forces may act in such a way that the sheath part 42j is displaced with respect to the main body part 42a or the sheath part 42j comes off from the main body part 42a. Therefore, if the fastening tools 42n forming the attachment part of the sheath part 42j in the main body part 42a are arranged so as to form the vertices of a polygon in this way, it becomes easier to maintain the fixed state of the sheath part 42j with respect to the main body part 42a against such external forces.

[0049] In this way, the sheath part 42j is fixed to the main body part 42a, and the holding part 42b is formed between itself and the front surface 42f of the article holder 42. At the same time, the sheath part 42j also serves to reinforce the article holder 42 by being attached to the main body part 42 in such a way as to surround three sides of the main body part 42 with the metal sheath part 42j.

[0050] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, on the front surface 42f of the main body portion 42a, a pressing portion 42k protrudes toward the back surface of the sheath portion 42j. The pressing portion 42k is, for example, the tip of a ball plunger. A ball plunger is a component configured such that a sphere is provided at the tip of an elastic body housed inside an outer cylinder and the sphere is biased outward of the outer cylinder by the elastic body. In the main body portion 42a, this ball plunger is embedded from the back surface 42g toward the front surface 42f so that the sphere at the tip is exposed on the front surface 42f, and the tip exposed on the front surface 42f forms the pressing portion 42k.

[0051] When supporting the fixture P on the holding portion 42b of the component holder 42, among the fixtures P having an L-shaped cross-section with two surfaces, a striking portion P1 and a hanging portion P2, the hanging portion P2 is inserted between the sheath portion 42j and the front surface 42f of the main body portion 42a. At this time, the striking portion P1 is positioned on the upper surface 42d side with respect to the main body portion 42a, and is oriented to protrude on the side opposite to the main body portion 42a with respect to the hanging portion P2 in a plan view.

[0052] A hole P3 is provided near the edge near the boundary with the striking portion P1 in the hanging portion P2, and a hanger W is attached thereto. In the sheath portion 42j, a notch 42l is provided at a position corresponding to the hole P3 in a state where the hanging portion P2 is inserted between the sheath portion 42j and the main body portion 42a. This notch 42l is provided so as to notch the upper edge (the edge close to the upper surface 42d of the main body portion 42a) of the sheath portion 42j, reducing the weight of the component holder 42 and preventing the hanger W attached to the hole P3 from interfering with the insertion of the hanging portion P2 into the holding portion 42b and the escape of the hanging portion P2 from the holding portion 42b when attaching and detaching the fixture P to and from the holding portion 42b.

[0053] On the other hand, in a state where the suspension part P2 is inserted between the sheath part 42j in the main body part 42a as well, a notch part 42m is provided at a position corresponding to the hole P3. The notch part 42m is provided so as to notch the upper surface 42d of the main body part 42a, and further, the part closer to the front surface 42f forms an inclined surface that descends toward the lower surface 42e side as it approaches the front surface 42f. In the part where this inclined surface is provided, the main body part 42a avoids interference with the suspension tool W attached to the suspension part P2, and the suspension tool W does not prevent the attachment and detachment of the suspension part P2 to the holding part 42b by contacting the main body part 42a.

[0054] Also, in the suspension part P2, in a state of being held by the holding part 42b of the component holder 42 (a state of being inserted between the main body part 42a and the sheath part 42j), holes P4 as engaging parts are provided at two positions corresponding to the position of the pressing part 42k. In the gap between the main body part 42a and the sheath part 42j, the pressing part 42k, which is the tip of the ball plunger as described above, is exposed. When the suspension part P2 of the fixture P is inserted here, due to the biasing force generated in the pressing part 42k by the mechanism of the ball plunger, the suspension part P2 is pressed against the back surface of the sheath part 42j, and a frictional force is generated between the suspension part P2 and the sheath part 42j. Further, the pressing part 42k fits into the hole P4 of the suspension part P2, and the suspension part P2 and the pressing part 42k engage with each other. As a result, the suspension part P2 is held with an appropriate force (the fixture P does not fall off from the holding part 42b even if the angle of the component holder 42 changes with the operation of the wire rope 41, but the fixture P can be pulled out from the holding part 42b by sliding the suspension part P2 with a certain amount of force).

[0055] In the ball plunger forming the pressing portion 42k, at least a hemisphere of the sphere at the tip is accommodated in the outer cylinder, and only a portion of the remaining hemisphere or less is exposed from the tip. Therefore, even when a force is applied from the side to the portion of the sphere exposed at this tip, the sphere is pushed into the outer cylinder. When inserting the hanging portion P2 into the holding portion 42b, the edge of the hanging portion P2 comes into contact with the sphere in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the ball plunger forming the pressing portion 42k. At this time, the pressing portion 42k does not interfere with the movement of the hanging portion P2, and the sphere is pushed toward the main body portion 42a by the hanging portion P2 contacting from the side, and the hanging portion P2 can be smoothly inserted between the pressing portion 42k and the sheath portion 42j. Also, even after the pressing portion 42k fits into the hole P4 and engages, if the fixture P is pulled along the direction of the hanging portion P2, the pressing portion 42k is pushed into the outer cylinder and comes out of the hole P4, and the fixture P can be smoothly removed from the component holder 42.

[0056] Here, in the main body 42a of the component holder 42, as described above, the fasteners 42n attached to the first side surface 42h and the second side surface 42j form the vertices of a virtual triangle. However, the position of the pressing portion 42k as viewed from the front surface 42f of the main body 42a is preferably within the region of the virtual triangle surrounded by the fasteners 42n. With respect to the sheath portion 42j, various external forces are assumed due to factors such as the fitting P inserted between the main body portion 42a being pulled by the suspension tool W and being twisted. At that time, of course, it is desirable that the sheath portion 42j does not displace with respect to the main body portion 42a against external forces as much as possible. This is because it is necessary to avoid situations such as deformation or detachment of the members, and also because if the sheath portion 42j displaces with respect to the main body portion 42a, it can also affect the holding state of the fitting P. That is, in the sheath portion 42j, it is necessary to maintain a correct posture with respect to the main body portion 42a and always form an appropriate gap. Considering from such a viewpoint, since the external force applied to the component holder 42 from the fitting P generally acts around the position of the pressing portion 42k, the position of the pressing portion 42k, which is the point of force application, is preferably within the region of the virtual triangle surrounded by the fasteners 42n. If the position of the pressing portion 42k is within the region, the external force with the position of the pressing portion 42k as the point of force is preferably shared among the plurality of fasteners 42n that form the vertices of the region. However, if the position of the pressing portion 42k is outside the region, the external force applied from the pressing portion 42k will be biased towards some of the fasteners 42n.

[0057] In the case of the example shown here, a total of two fasteners 42n are attached vertically to the first side surface 42h, while one fastener 42n is attached to the second side surface 42i. The position of the pressing portion 42k as viewed from the front surface 42f of the main body 42a is on the straight line connecting the lower fastener 42n on the first side surface 42h and the fastener 42n on the second side surface 42i, and is located within the region of a virtual polygon (triangle) surrounded by the three fasteners 42n.

[0058] As the pressing part, not limited to the ball plunger, an appropriate configuration can be adopted as long as the fixture P can be suitably held by the holding part 42b. Further, as the engaging part provided on the fixture P side for engaging with the pressing part 42k, although the hole P4 is illustrated here, it is not limited to the hole, and for example, the engaging part may be provided as a recess into which the pressing part 42k fits.

[0059] As the mounting part 42c, any configuration may be adopted as long as it can be suitably mounted on the side of the feed wire 41. In the case of this embodiment, the mounting part 42c is a hole provided at a position near the back surface 42g on the upper surface 42d of the main body part 42a. On the other hand, on the side of the feed wire 41, a fixture 41a for fixing the component holder 42 by the mounting part 42c is mounted. The fixture 41a is, for example, a bracket formed by bending a metal plate into an L shape, has a mounting surface along the extending direction of the feed wire 41, and the component holder 42 can be fixed by passing a fastening tool 41b such as a bolt through here and tightening it into the mounting part (hole) 42c of the main body part 42a. The fixtures 41a are provided on the feed wire 41 at equal intervals, for example, about every few centimeters. By selecting the fixture 41a at an appropriate position and mounting the component holder 42 there, the fixture P can be supported at an appropriate position on the feed wire 41 via the component holder 42. Further, the fixture 41a which is a metal plate is mounted so as to cover a part of the upper surface 42d and the back surface 42g of the main body part 42, and also serves to reinforce the component holder 42.

[0060] In this way, the component feeding part 40 can suitably feed the fixture P held by the component holder 42 to the injection position by a simple mechanism using a feed wire 41 such as a chain.

[0061] The fastener injection unit 50 is a device that injects a fastener S such as a staple and strikes the fixture P against the structure C. For example, a commercially available staple gun (nail gun) can be diverted to be the fastener injection unit 50. In the case of this embodiment, the ceiling or the like is assumed as the structure C for which stapling is performed, and the fastener injection unit 50, which is a staple gun, is supported by the support frame 22 of the elevating unit 20 in a posture where the injection port 50a faces upward.

[0062] An injection operation unit 51 is attached to the fastener injection unit 50 so that the injection operation of the fastener injection unit 50 can be performed from a position separated from the injection operation of the fastener injection unit 50 (a position below the fastener injection unit 50 lifted upward by the elevating unit 20). The injection operation unit 51 includes an operation lever interlocked with a trigger at the end (the end on the side opposite to the fastener injection unit 50, the lower end) of a rod extending downward (rearward for the fastener injection unit 50 which is a staple gun) from the fastener injection unit 50 attached upward to the support frame 22. By performing the operation of gripping this operation lever, the fastener S is ejected from the injection port 50a of the fastener injection unit 50. Note that some staple guns are configured such that the fastener is fired only when the injection port is pressed against the object as part of the safety mechanism. When such a staple gun is adopted as the fastener injection unit 50, the injection operation unit 51 can be used to press the injection port 50a of the fastener injection unit 50 against the structure C, or the injection port 50a can be pressed against the structure C by raising the support frame 22, and the injection operation unit 51 can be operated in that state.

[0063] Near the injection port 50a of the fastener injection unit 50, a part of the feed cable 41 of the component feed unit 40 is arranged, and the fixture P supported by the component holder 42 can be sent to an appropriate position (injection position) with respect to the injection port 50a. At this time, the component holder 42 supports the fixture P at an appropriate angle with respect to the injection port 50a. The "appropriate position" and "appropriate angle" mentioned here refer to a position and an angle that are appropriate for injecting the fastener S by the fastener injection unit 50 and fixing the fixture P to the object (structure C). That is, the striking portion P1 of the fixture P is located forward when viewed from the injection port 50a, and the surface formed by the striking portion P1 is orthogonal to the injection direction of the fastener S from the injection port 50a. In the case of this embodiment, since the injection port 50a is installed facing upward so that the injection direction is along the vertical direction, the fixture P is supported such that the striking portion P1 forms a surface along the horizontal direction. The fixture 41a of the feed cable 41 is attached to the feed cable 41 so as to support the component holder 42 and the fixture P in such a direction near the injection port 50a.

[0064] Also, near the injection port 50a, an injection sensor 52 for detecting that the component holder 42 is in the injection position with respect to the fastener injection unit 50 is provided. The injection sensor 52 is a proximity sensor (or object sensor, distance measuring sensor, measuring range sensor) having a mechanism for detecting the presence or absence and distance of an object by irradiating, for example, ultrasonic waves or a laser. Further, at an appropriate position of the suspension working device 100, a warning lamp 53 linked to the detection by the injection sensor 52 is provided. The warning lamp 53 is configured to light up when the injection sensor 52 detects that the component holder 42 is in the injection position.

[0065] In addition, at various locations of the suspension working device 100, there are provided light irradiation devices 60a to 60c as alignment parts for alignment when attaching the fixture P. Each of the light irradiation devices 60a to 60c is, for example, a laser device that oscillates laser light. Among these, the light irradiation devices 60a and 60b are line laser devices that irradiate laser light in a fan-shaped planar shape, and are respectively installed upward at two locations on the side surface of the lifting part 20. The laser light oscillated by the light irradiation device 60a and the laser light oscillated by the light irradiation device 60b have different directions from each other, but the planes formed by their respective irradiation lights each include the ray from the injection port 50a of the fixture injection part 50. Thereby, the intersection line of the light irradiated from the light irradiation devices 60a and 60b coincides with the ray of the injection port 50a. On the other hand, the light irradiation device 60c is attached downward to the lower surface of the base part 10, and is configured to irradiate a cross-shaped line laser downward. The intersection line of the cross-shaped laser coincides with the extension line of the ray from the injection port 50a of the fixture injection part 50.

[0066] The operations of the above-described respective parts are controlled by the control unit 61. The control unit 61 is a control device that controls the operation of each part of the suspension working device 100 and monitors the operating state, and includes the lifting operation of the lifting part 20, the operation of the pulley (drive pulley) 43 around which the feed rope 41 of the component feed part 40 is wound, the operation of the locking mechanism 44, the on / off of the notification lamp 53 interlocked with the detection in the injection sensor 52 (turning on the notification lamp 53 when a detection signal is input from the injection sensor 52 and turning it off otherwise), the on / off of the light irradiation devices 60a to 60c, and the like. Note that at least a part of these operations may be directly performed manually by the operator. In addition, theoretically, it is also possible to configure other operations, such as the injection operation in the fixture injection part 50 and the operation of the telescopic part 32 in the duct support part 30, to be performed by the input of an operation signal from the control unit 61.

[0067] The control unit 61 is further connected to a display unit 62 and an operation unit 63. The display unit 62 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and visually displays the operating status of each of the above-described units. The operation unit 63 is a controller for an operator to input operation commands for each of the above-described units. Incidentally, for example, the display unit 62 may be configured integrally with the operation unit 63 as a touch panel type display.

[0068] Incidentally, the configuration of the suspension working device 100 described here is merely an example, and the overall shape, specifications of each part, operating principle, etc. can be changed as appropriate. For example, in this embodiment, a form in which the duct support part 30 and the fastener injection part 50 are supported by the same support frame 22 in the lifting part 20 has been described. However, for example, the duct support part 30 and the fastener injection part 50 can be lifted separately. Further, the duct support part 30 does not include, for example, the support roller 34 as described above, but includes a frame that holds the outer peripheral surface of the duct D so as to clamp it. When it is necessary to move the duct D with respect to the frame, the clamping by the frame may be loosened each time. Alternatively, instead of the support roller that rotates only in one direction, for example, a form in which the duct D is supported while being biased upward by an elastic body is also conceivable. In addition, as long as the suspension work of the duct D can be suitably performed, an appropriate form can be adopted as the suspension working device.

[0069] Next, the procedure of the suspension work of the duct D using the above-described suspension working device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9.

[0070] First, the duct D for which the suspension work is to be performed is set (step S1; see FIG. 10). A suspension tool W with a fixture P attached is attached to the target hole H among the holes H provided in the flap of the duct D. The suspension tool W has an appropriate length corresponding to the suspension height of the duct D from the structure C.

[0071] Duct D is passed through and held at a duct support portion 30 attached to the support frame 22 of the elevating portion 20. After operating the telescopic portion 32 of the duct support portion 30 to adjust the distance between the support rollers 34 to match the outer diameter of the duct D, the duct D is inserted from below into the space between the support rollers 34. The upward movement of the duct D in contact with the support rollers 34 is allowed by the support rollers 34 that rotate only upward, and the downward movement is restricted by frictional force. Thus, by simply inserting the duct D into the duct support portion 30 from below, the duct D is held in such a manner that a part of the duct D (the region including the portion where the hanging operation by the hanging tool W is to be performed later) is positioned above the duct support portion 30.

[0072] The fixture P of the hanging tool W attached to the duct D is held by the component holder 42. The component holder 42 is attached to the feed rope 41 constituting the component feed portion 40 via a fixture 41a, and the hanging portion P2 of the fixture P is inserted into the holding portion 42b (the gap between the main body portion 42a and the sheath portion 42j) of the component holder 42. The position of the component holder 42 holding the fixture P on the feed rope 41 is set to the upstream side of the support frame 22 with respect to the forward direction of the feed operation of the feed rope 41. At this point, one or more appropriate numbers of the fixture P and the hanging tool W are attached to the duct D at appropriate positions.

[0073] With the duct D held, one of the fixtures P attached to the duct D via the suspension tool W is sent to the position of the injection port 50a of the fixture injection unit 50 (injection position). The fixture P is held by a component holder 42 fixed to the feed cable 41 of the component feed unit 40. When the pulley 43 around which the feed cable 41 is wound is rotated, the feed cable 41 is fed along with the operation, and the component holder 42 moves together with the fixture P along the extending direction of the feed cable 41. A part of the endless feed cable 41 passes near the injection position as described above, and the fixture P supported by the component holder 42 will be sent to the injection position by the operation of the feed cable 41. When the fixture P reaches the injection position, this is detected by the injection sensor 52, and the control unit 61 receives the input of the detection signal and turns on the notification lamp 53. When the operator of the suspension working device 100 confirms the lighting of the notification lamp 53, the operation of the pulley 43 is stopped there, and further the upper locking mechanism 44a is set to the locked state (the lower locking mechanism 44b remains in the unlocked state). Alternatively, the control unit 61 that has received the input of the detection signal may automatically set the upper locking mechanism 44a to the locked state.

[0074] Operate the lifting part 20 to move the support frame 22 to which the duct support part 30 is attached upward, and lift it to the height near the structure C where the duct D is to be suspended (step S2; see FIG. 11). By this operation, the fixture injection unit 50, which is also supported by the support frame 22 like the duct support part 30, is lifted upward together. Also, among the feed cables 41 that make up the component feed unit 40, the part wound around the pulley 43 on the support frame 22 side is lifted upward together with the support frame 22. In this process, since the upper locking mechanism 44a is in the locked state and the part of the feed cable 41 wound around the pulley 43 of the support frame 22 is locked to the support frame 22, the feed cable 41 will not unexpectedly move relative to the support frame 22 and cause the fixture P and the component holder 42 to deviate from the injection position.

[0075] With the support frame 22 lifted, the alignment of the suspension working device 100 is performed (step S3). At the site where the duct D is to be suspended, in many cases, at least one of the target positions (ceiling) above or the target position (floor) below where the fixture P is to be struck is marked. When aligning with the upper mark, the upward light irradiation devices 60a and 60b are turned on, and the intersection line of the light irradiated from these light irradiation devices 60a and 60b is aligned with the position. Since the light irradiated from the light irradiation devices 60a and 60b appears as a cross on the surface of the target structure C such as the ceiling, the intersection point is aligned with the mark attached to the structure C. Since the intersection line of the light is set to coincide with the ray of the fixture S ejected from the fixture ejection part 50 as described above, if the fixture S is ejected with the intersection point of the light aligned with the mark, the fixture S will be ejected toward the position of the mark. Regarding the movement and alignment of the suspension working device 100, for example, it is also possible to equip the suspension working device 100 with an autonomous driving function and have the suspension working device 100 perform automatically in combination with map data.

[0076] From this state, the lifting part 20 is further operated to lift the support frame 22, and the ejection port 50a of the fixture ejection part 50 supported by the support frame 22 is positioned in the immediate vicinity (directly below in the example shown here) of the target structure C, and with the striking part P1 of the fixture P sandwiched between the ejection port 50a and the structure C, the fixture S is ejected from the fixture ejection part 50 (step S4). At this time, by operating the ejection operation part 51, the ejection operation can be performed at a position below the fixture ejection part 50 supported by the support frame 22 of the lifting part 20. Here, if the fixture ejection part 50 is provided with a safety mechanism such that the fixture S cannot be ejected unless the ejection port 50a is in contact with the object, the ejection operation can be performed by lifting the fixture ejection part 50 with the ejection operation part 51 or by lifting the fixture ejection part 50 by operating the lifting part 20 and pressing the ejection port 50a against the structure C. When the fixture S is ejected, the fixture S penetrates the striking part P1 of the fixture P and is driven into the structure C, and the fixture P is fixed to the structure C.

[0077] After the attachment tool P has been struck, operate the elevating unit 20 to lower the support frame 22 (step S5; see FIG. 12). The attachment tool P is supported by the component holder 42 with the hanging portion P2 inserted into the holding portion 42b of the component holder 42 from above. The striking portion P1 struck on the structure C forms a plane orthogonal to the hanging portion P2 and is located above the hanging portion P2. Therefore, when the support frame 22 is lowered, and the component holder 42 descends together with the feed rope 41, the attachment tool P fixed to the structure C, which is the ceiling, will escape from the holding portion 42b of the component holder 42. When the attachment tool P is held by the component holder 42, it is contained in the sheath portion 42j by the frictional force generated by the pressing portion 42k, which is a ball plunger. However, this frictional force is, of course, much weaker than the frictional force of the fixture S that fixes the attachment tool P to the structure C and does not prevent the escape of the attachment tool P. Depending on the position of the attachment tool P at the time of injection of the fixture S, the attachment tool P may escape from the component holder 42 due to the collision of the fixture S against the striking portion P1 in step S4 (when injecting the fixture S) instead of this step S5 (when lowering the support frame 22).

[0078] Lower the support frame 22 to a height corresponding to the hanging length of the duct D from the structure C by the hanging tool W. The hanging tool W is stretched up and down by the self-weight of the duct D, and the duct D is suspended from the structure C via the hanging tool W and the hanging portion P2 of the attachment tool P as shown in FIG. 12.

[0079] During the operation of lowering the support frame 22 in step S5, regarding the locking mechanism 44 of the component feeding unit 40, both the upper locking mechanism 44a and the lower locking mechanism 44b are released from the locked state. As the support frame 22 descends, the feed rope 41 located in the vicinity of the support frame 22 side descends toward the base portion 10 side and is folded between the pulleys 43 provided on the base portion 10 side.

[0080] From here, the support frame 22 is further lowered (step S6; see FIG. 13). The duct D is supported by the support frame 22 via the duct support portion 30. However, among the ducts D, the portion constrained to the structure C by the suspension tool W and the fixture P will no longer descend. Therefore, in step S6, the duct support portion 30 moves downward with respect to the duct D suspended from the structure C. From the perspective of the duct support portion 30, the duct D is pulled upward. The rotation of the support roller 34 allows the movement of the duct D with respect to the duct support portion 30.

[0081] In step S6, from the state where the duct D is suspended from the structure C with the suspension tool W stretched (FIG. 12), the support frame 22 is further lowered by an appropriate height (FIG. 13). Here, the "appropriate height" is, for example, a height corresponding to the distance from the position where the fixture P was struck on the structure C in the previous step S4 to the position where the next fixture P will be struck on the structure C, or a height greater than that. As described above, in step S6, as the duct support portion 30 descends, the duct D is pulled upward by that amount. The upper part of the duct D is constrained to the structure C by the suspension tool W attached to the structure C via the fixture P. The suspension working device 100 that supports the duct D at the duct support portion 30 can only move on the floor within a certain range with respect to the position of the fixture P fixed to the structure C. And after the suspension working device 100 fixes the fixture P to the structure C, it is necessary to move to the position where the next fixture P will be attached. The length of the duct D pulled out upward from the duct support portion 30 in step S6, that is, corresponds to the distance within which the suspension working device 100 can move centered on the position of the fixture P fixed to the structure C. If the length of the duct D pulled out from the duct support portion 30 in step S6, that is, the descending height of the duct support portion 30, is set to be equal to or greater than the striking distance of the fixture P in the structure C, the suspension working device 100 can move to the next striking position without any hindrance.

[0082] Alternatively, the lowering height of the support frame 22 in step S6 may be, for example, a height convenient for an operator near the base portion 10 to perform some work (such as attaching the suspension tool W to the duct D) on the duct D or the duct support portion 30. Thus, in step S6, the lowering operation of the support frame 22 is performed to such an extent that the drawing-out length of the duct D from the duct support portion 30 becomes sufficient or the positions of the duct support portion 30 and the duct D become low enough. Incidentally, the work of pulling out the duct D with respect to the duct support portion 30 can also be performed by an operation of sending the duct D upward from below in addition to the lowering of the duct support portion 30.

[0083] When the suspension tool W and the attachment tool P related to the next suspension work are attached to the duct D during the lowering operation of the support frame 22 in step S6, as the duct D is pulled upward with respect to the duct support portion 30, both the suspension tool W and the attachment tool P attached to the duct D are also pulled upward with respect to the duct support portion 30.

[0084] During the downward movement of the support frame 22 in step S6, the locking mechanism 44 of the component feeder 40 keeps the upper locking mechanism 44a in an unlocked state and the lower locking mechanism 44b in a locked state. From the end point of step S5 (when the duct support portion 30 has descended to a height corresponding to the hanging length by the hanger W and the hanger W is stretched up and down by the self-weight of the duct D), while further descending the duct support portion 30 in step S6, the hanging position of the duct D by the hanger W is fixed with respect to the structure (ceiling) C (ignoring any slight sway). That is, during the descent in step S5, the duct D descends together with the support frame 22 and the duct support portion 30, but during the descent in step S6, the support frame 22 and the duct support portion 30 move relative to the duct D. In addition to the hanger W attached to the structure C in the previous step S4, there may be a case where a hanger W is attached to the duct D and the fixture P of the hanger W is held by the component holder 42 of the feed rope 41. If the support frame 22 moves relative to the duct D, the feed rope 41 arranged on the support frame 22 and the component holder 42 attached thereto may be pulled via the hanger W, or the fixture P may come off the component holder 42. Therefore, during this period, locking the lower locking mechanism 44b fixes the position of the feed rope 41 with respect to the support frame 22, so that the feed rope 41 does not unexpectedly move as the support frame 22 descends, and movement that would change the position of the component holder 42 can be suppressed. After the downward movement of the support frame 22 is completed, the locking of the lower locking mechanism 44b is released.

[0085] With the support frame 22 lowered in step S6, if necessary, the duct D is set for the next hanging operation. If the fixture P and the hanger W to be used in the next hanging operation are not attached to the duct D, they may be attached here. Also, a new duct D may be connected to the duct D supported by the duct support portion 30. To the new duct D as well, if necessary, a hanger W with a fixture P is attached at an appropriate position. The fixture P is held by the component holder 42 at an appropriate position on the feed rope 41.

[0086] Operate the feed cable 41 to send the fixture P for the next suspension operation to the injection position (step S7). With the upper locking mechanism 44a in the locked state, raise the support frame 22 with the duct support portion 30 and the fixture injection portion 50 attached again (step S8; see FIG. 14). In the previous step S6, the duct D was pulled upward from the duct support portion 30 due to the lowering of the support frame 22. In the subsequent step S8, the duct D pulled upward in the previous step S6 is further lifted upward by the raising of the support frame 22. In this way, by a simple operation of moving the duct support portion 30 up and down with respect to the duct D, an extra length of the duct D necessary for the movement to the next suspension operation is ensured.

[0087] Move the suspension working device 100 below the position where the next suspension operation is to be performed and perform alignment (step S3) at the new position. Thereafter, repeat steps S3 to S8 the necessary number of times (step S9). When the scheduled series of suspension operations is completed, lower the support frame 22 and remove the duct support portion 30 from the duct D (step S10). On the structure C, the duct D suspended at an appropriate position and height by the fixture P and the suspension tool W remains. Depending on the length of the duct D, the duct support portion 30 may come off from the duct D as the duct support portion 30 descends in steps S5 to S6 without even removing the duct support portion 30 in step S10.

[0088] Here, for the convenience of explanation, steps S1 to S8 have been described in order. However, when implementing the duct suspension operation method of the present invention, it is not necessary to execute each step in this order and content. For example, regarding the order of steps S2 and S3, step S3 may be executed before step S2, or steps S2 and S3 may proceed simultaneously or alternately. Also, for example, after the raising of the support frame 22 in step S8 or step S2, it is also possible to perform the feeding operation of the fixture P in step S7 or step S1. Also, in some cases, it is of course possible to omit some steps or add other steps not described here.

[0089] In the above-described series of operations, the worker who performs the hanging operation of the duct D does not need to move up and down to the height near the structure C that is the object of hanging. When attempting to hang the duct D using the fixture S on a structure C such as a ceiling, it is necessary to lift the fixture injection unit 50, the duct D, and the fixture P attached thereto via the hanging tool W to the height near the structure C, and to operate the fixture injection unit 50 while maintaining these in an appropriate positional relationship with respect to the structure C. In conventional hanging operations, since these were performed manually, about two workers moved up and down to the height near the ceiling using a lift or the like, and this was repeated for each location where riveting was to be performed, resulting in a great deal of time and labor. According to the hanging operation device and method of the present embodiment, the lifting and support of the fixture injection unit 50 and the duct D are performed by the support frame 22 of the lifting unit 20 and the duct support unit 30. Further, the duct D can be easily fed to the required length and held there by a feeding mechanism using a support roller 34 that rotates only in one direction with respect to the duct support unit 30. When the fixture P is struck by the fixture S, it is necessary to hold the fixture P in an appropriate position with respect to the fixture injection unit 50, but the fixture P is fed to the injection position by the component feeding unit 40 with respect to the fixture injection unit 50 supported by the support frame 22. Also, the injection operation of the fixture S by the fixture injection unit 50 can be executed from a lower, separated position by the injection operation unit 51. That is, operations such as holding the fixture injection unit 50 or the duct D at the height near the structure C, feeding the duct D thereto, and operating the fixture injection unit 50 while holding the fixture P can be performed by the worker remaining at the height near the base unit 10 without moving up and down to the height near the structure C.

[0090] Here, as an example of the component feeding mechanism, a duct hanging operation device 100 equipped with a component feeding unit 40 is assumed, and the case where the fixture P is assumed as the component to be fed to the target position (the injection position of the fixture injection unit 50 which is a riveting machine) is illustrated. However, as the application target of the component feeding mechanism, various other operations and the devices for performing them can be assumed. When it is necessary to feed some component to the target position, a mechanism equipped with a similar feeding cable and component holder may be appropriately designed and applied.

[0091] As described above, the component feeding mechanism of the present embodiment includes a component holder 42 that holds a component (fixture) P to be fed, and a feed cable 41 that is attached to the component holder 42 and is routed so as to pass through a target position (injection position) where the component holder 42 feeds the component P and operates in the longitudinal direction. In this way, with a simple mechanism in which the component holder 42 is attached to the feed cable 41, the component P can be suitably fed to the target position.

[0092] In the component feeding mechanism of the present embodiment, the feed cable 41 is routed so as to follow the expansion and contraction operation of a mechanism configured to be expandable and contractible. In this way, in the expanding and contracting mechanism, the component P can be suitably fed to the target position by the operation of the feed cable 41.

[0093] In the component feeding mechanism of the present embodiment, the expandable and contractible mechanism includes a moving part (support frame) 22 that is movably attached in the vertical direction, and the target position for feeding the component P (injection position) is on the side of the moving part 22. In this way, in the mechanism that moves up and down, the component P can be suitably fed to the target position on the side of the lifting part 20 by the operation of the feed cable 41.

[0094] In the component feeding mechanism of the present embodiment, the component is a fixture P that is struck against a structure C by a rivet S ejected from a riveting machine (rivet injection part) 50, and the target position is an injection position where, if the rivet S is ejected in the riveting machine 50, the fixture P can be struck against the structure C by the rivet S. In this way, with respect to the riveting machine 50 that ejects the rivet S, the fixture P can be suitably fed to the injection position by a simple mechanism.

[0095] Therefore, according to the present embodiment described above, the component can be simply fed to the target position.

[0096] Note that the component feeding mechanism of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0097] 10 Base part 20 Lifting part 41 Pulling rope 42 Part holder P part (mounting tool)

Claims

1. A component holder for holding a component to be sent, A feed cable that is attached to the component holder and is routed so as to pass through a position for the purpose of sending the component by the component holder and operates in the longitudinal direction A component feeding mechanism characterized by comprising the above.

2. The feed cable is routed so as to be able to follow the expansion and contraction operation of a mechanism configured to be expandable and contractible The component feeding mechanism according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The mechanism configured to be expandable and contractible includes a moving part that is movably attached in the vertical direction, and the position for the purpose of sending the component is on the moving part side The component feeding mechanism according to Claim 2, characterized by the above.

4. The component is a fixture that is struck against a structure by a fixture ejected from a riveting machine, and the target position is an ejection position where, if the fixture is ejected in the riveting machine, the fixture can strike the fixture against the structure The component feeding mechanism according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

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