Metal detection sensor and electric gripping tool equipped with same

Abstract

To provide a metal detection sensor that can notify an operator of presence or absence of metal present inside an object such as concrete without touching the metal, an electric holding tool including the same, a metal detection method, and a metal detection program.SOLUTION: A metal detection sensor 20 comprises: a cover 25; a detection signal acquisition unit 31; a determination unit 32; a display unit 24; and a display control unit 34. The cover 25 is removably attached to a leading end 18 of an electric holding tool 10. The detection signal acquisition unit 31 acquires a detection signal that changes according to intensity of detection of a reinforcing steel W1 in concrete W. The determination unit 32 determines presence or absence of the reinforcing steel W1 on the basis of an acquisition result of the acquisition performed by the detection signal acquisition unit 31. The display unit 24 displays the presence or absence of the reinforcing steel W1 by turning on different rays of light. The display control unit 34 controls to switch a color of the light displayed by the display unit 24 on the basis of a result of the determination made by the determination unit 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a metal detection sensor that detects metal such as reinforcing bars contained in concrete, an electric gripping tool including the same, a metal detection method, and a metal detection program. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, metal detection sensors have been used to detect the position of metal such as reinforcing bars in order to perform drilling or other operations on concrete while avoiding buried objects such as reinforcing bars contained in the concrete. Conventionally, such metal detection sensors have been used to detect rebar inside concrete, marking the detection results, and then drilling holes in the concrete using an electric gripping tool such as a hammer drill, avoiding the locations where the rebar is buried.

[0003] However, when using electric gripping tools in work areas with a lot of reinforcing bars, such as slab foundations or concrete blocks, the complicated marking work may not be carried out when continuous hole-drilling work is being performed, such as for anchor or core extraction. In this case, when using the electric gripping tool, the drill would come into contact with the rebar in the concrete, causing problems such as damage to the drill.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electric tool equipped with a built-in metal sensor that, when it comes into contact with a metal water pipe embedded in concrete during drilling work on a concrete surface, generates an induced current in an electrical circuit, turning on a light and emitting a buzzer sound. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-308980 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the conventional power tools incorporating the metal sensor have the following problems. In other words, the power tools disclosed in the above publications alert the operator by turning on a light, emitting a buzzer sound, etc., once they come into contact with metal in concrete, which can result in problems such as damage to the tip of the tool, such as a drill, that comes into contact with the metal, and damage to the operator's wrist due to the impact when the tool comes into contact with the metal.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a metal detection sensor that can notify an operator of the presence or absence of metal inside an object such as concrete without coming into contact with the metal, and an electric gripping tool, a metal detection method, and a metal detection program equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A metal detection sensor according to a first aspect of the present invention is a metal detection sensor that detects metal contained in an object and is detachably attached to an electric gripping tool that processes the object, and includes an attachment unit, a detection signal acquisition unit, a determination unit, a display unit, and a display control unit. The attachment unit is attached to the tip of the electric gripping tool. The detection signal acquisition unit acquires a detection signal that changes depending on the detection intensity of the metal in the object. The determination unit determines the presence or absence of metal based on the acquisition result acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit. The display unit indicates the presence or absence of metal by turning on different lights. The display control unit controls the color of the light displayed on the display unit to be switched based on the determination result by the determination unit.

[0009] Here, for example, a metal detection sensor is provided that can be detachably attached to an electric hand-held tool that drives a tip tool such as a drill to perform processing such as drilling holes in objects such as concrete, and detects metals such as rebar contained in objects such as concrete, and displays the detection results by switching the color of light. Here, examples of electric hand-held tools to which a metal detection sensor is attached include electric tools such as hammer drills, impact drills, and vibrating drills that are held in the hand of an operator to perform various types of processing on objects such as concrete.

[0010] The target object includes, for example, walls made of concrete, plaster board, etc. at construction sites such as apartment buildings, buildings, and factories. Furthermore, the metals that can be detected include, for example, reinforcing bars contained in reinforced concrete, and metals such as aluminum and stainless steel installed inside walls. Metal detection includes, for example, an induction type that detects the impedance of a detection coil, which changes due to eddy currents generated in a metal when the metal approaches a magnetic field generated by passing a current through the detection coil; a capacitance type that detects changes in capacitance between the detection coil and the metal being detected; and a high-frequency oscillation type that detects non-magnetic materials such as aluminum.

[0011] Display control according to the presence or absence of metal includes, for example, displaying three colors of light by lighting a red light when it is determined that metal is nearby, lighting a green light when it is determined that metal is not nearby, and lighting a yellow light for any determination in between. As a result, when using an electric gripping tool to drill holes in an object such as concrete, the electric gripping tool is brought into contact with the surface of the object to detect the presence or absence of metal, and the detection result is displayed on the display unit by switching the light color, allowing the worker to process the object while recognizing the location of metal by looking at the color of light on the display unit showing the detection result. As a result, marking work is no longer necessary, and the presence or absence of metal present inside an object such as concrete can be notified to the worker without coming into contact with the metal, allowing various processing to be performed on the object.

[0012] The metal detection sensor of the second invention is the metal detection sensor of the first invention, further comprising a prohibition signal sending unit that sends a drive prohibition signal to the electric grip tool to prohibit driving when the judgment unit determines that metal is present. As a result, when the determining section determines that metal is present, the determination result can be reflected in the drive control of the drive section, and driving can be prohibited. This makes it possible to avoid problems such as the tip of a drill coming into contact with metal when performing drilling work or the like despite the presence of metal being determined, thereby further improving safety.

[0013] The metal detection sensor of the third invention is the metal detection sensor of the first or second invention, further comprising a permission signal transmitting unit that transmits a drive permission signal to permit driving of the electric grip tool when the determination unit determines that no metal is present. As a result, when the determining section determines that no metal is present, the determination result can be reflected in the drive control of the drive section, and driving can be permitted. Therefore, by allowing operations such as drilling to be performed only when it is determined that no metal is present, problems such as the tip of the drill coming into contact with metal can be avoided, further improving safety.

[0014] The metal detection sensor of the fourth invention is a metal detection sensor of any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the display control unit controls the display unit to emit auxiliary light that illuminates the processing area of ​​the tip tool that processes the target object while the electric gripping tool is operating. As a result, after the judgment result of the judgment section as to whether or not metal is present is displayed on the display section, when actually performing the work, the light lit on the display section can be irradiated onto the processing area and used as auxiliary light.

[0015] A metal detection sensor according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the metal detection sensor according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the display control unit controls the display unit to irradiate white light as the auxiliary light. This allows the light lit up in the display unit to be irradiated as white light onto the area to be processed, making it possible to brighten the area to be processed and perform work.

[0016] The metal detection sensor of the sixth invention is a metal detection sensor of any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein the determination unit compares the acquisition result acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit with a predetermined threshold value to determine the presence or absence of metal. This allows the determination section to compare the result acquired by the detection signal acquisition section with a predetermined threshold value to determine the presence or absence of metal.

[0017] The metal detection sensor of the seventh invention is a metal detection sensor of any one of the first to sixth inventions, and further includes a posture detection unit that detects the posture of the electric grip tool, and an initialization processing unit that initializes the results acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit when the posture detection unit detects that the electric grip tool has reached a predetermined posture.

[0018] As a result, for example, if the upward position of the electric grip tool is set as the specified position, the results acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit are reset (initialization process) each time the operator turns the electric grip tool upward. Therefore, the initialization process can be performed simply by setting the electric gripping tool to a specified position, without having to operate a reset switch or the like every time the work site changes, thereby improving usability for the worker.

[0019] The metal detection sensor of the eighth invention is a metal detection sensor of any one of the first to seventh inventions, further comprising a contact portion that contacts an object and has a roller portion that rotates along the movement direction of the electric grip tool while in contact with the object. As a result, when the metal detection sensor is brought into contact with an object such as concrete, a roller is provided at the contact point, so that as the roller rotates, the electric gripping tool can be easily moved along the surface of the object to perform metal detection scanning.

[0020] The metal detection sensor of a ninth aspect of the present invention is a metal detection sensor of any one of the first to seventh aspects of the present invention, further comprising a contact portion having a friction reduction portion that contacts an object and reduces friction generated between the contact portion and the object. Here, the friction reducing portion includes, for example, a portion that has a surface treatment for reducing friction generated between the object such as concrete, a shape for reducing the contact area, and the like. This makes it possible, when the metal detection sensor is brought into contact with an object such as concrete, to scan the surface of the object while easily moving the electric gripping tool along the surface of the object.

[0021] A metal detection sensor according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the metal detection sensor according to any one of the first to ninth aspects of the present invention, further comprising a contact detection unit that detects contact with an object. This makes it possible to detect when the electric gripping tool has come into contact with an object such as concrete, and to perform control such as prohibiting the drive unit from operating unless contact is made.

[0022] A metal detection sensor according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the metal detection sensor according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the contact detection portion is a contact switch that transitions from an OFF state to an ON state when it comes into contact with an object. As a result, for example, by using a press-type contact switch as the contact detection unit, it is possible to detect the contact of the electric grip tool with the target object with an inexpensive configuration.

[0023] The metal detection sensor of the 12th invention comprises the metal detection sensor of the 10th or 11th invention, and further comprises a retraction mechanism that retracts the metal detection sensor from the tip of the electric gripping tool when the contact detection unit detects contact with an object. As a result, when it detects that the electric gripping tool has come into contact with an object, the metal detection sensor is automatically retracted from the tip of the main body, which, for example, makes it easier for the worker to see the area being processed and prevents dust and other particles generated when rotating a tip tool such as a drill to drill a hole from adhering to the metal detection sensor.

[0024] The metal detection sensor according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the metal detection sensor according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects of the present invention, further comprising a dust collection section that sucks in outside air around the tip of the electric grip tool. As a result, by providing a dust collection section at the tip of the main body, it is possible to suck up dust and the like that is generated when performing processing such as drilling holes, thereby keeping the work site clean.

[0025] A metal detection sensor according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the metal detection sensor according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the dust collecting portion is detachable from the tip end of the electric grip tool. As a result, the dust collection unit is attached to the main body in a detachable state, so that the dust collection unit can be removed and the electric gripping tool can be used when performing processing that does not generate dust or when working in a site where dust generation is not a problem.

[0026] The electric gripping tool of the 15th invention comprises a metal detection sensor of any one of the first to 14th inventions, a tip portion to which the metal detection sensor is attached, a drive unit that rotates and drives the tip tool to process an object, and a drive control unit that controls the drive of the drive unit. This allows the electric gripping tool to be used with the above-mentioned metal detection sensor attached, eliminating the need for marking work and notifying the worker of the presence or absence of metal inside an object such as concrete without coming into contact with the metal, allowing various processing to be performed on the object.

[0027] A metal detection method using a metal detection sensor according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is a metal detection method using a metal detection sensor that detects metal contained in an object and can be attached to the tip of an electric gripping tool that processes the object, and includes a detection signal acquisition step, a determination step, and a display control step. In the detection signal acquisition step, a detection signal acquisition unit of the metal detection sensor acquires a detection signal that changes depending on the detection intensity of the metal in the object. In the determination step, a determination unit of the metal detection sensor determines the presence or absence of metal based on the acquisition result acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit. In the display control step, a display control unit of the metal detection sensor controls to switch the color of the light displayed on the display unit based on the determination result by the determination unit.

[0028] Here, for example, a metal detection method is provided that uses a metal detection sensor that can be attached to an electric hand-held tool that drives a tip tool such as a drill to perform processing such as drilling holes in objects such as concrete, and detects metals such as rebar contained in objects such as concrete, and displays the detection results by switching the color of light. Here, examples of electric hand-held tools to which a metal detection sensor is attached include electric tools such as hammer drills, impact drills, and vibration drills that are held by a worker to perform various types of processing on objects such as concrete.

[0029] The target object includes, for example, walls made of concrete, plaster board, etc. at construction sites such as apartment buildings, buildings, and factories. Furthermore, the metals that can be detected include, for example, reinforcing bars contained in reinforced concrete, and metals such as aluminum and stainless steel installed inside walls. Metal detection includes, for example, an induction type that detects the impedance of a detection coil, which changes due to eddy currents generated in a metal when the metal approaches a magnetic field generated by passing a current through the detection coil; a capacitance type that detects changes in capacitance between the detection coil and the metal being detected; and a high-frequency oscillation type that detects non-magnetic materials such as aluminum.

[0030] Display control according to the presence or absence of metal includes, for example, displaying three colors of light by lighting a red light when it is determined that metal is nearby, lighting a green light when it is determined that metal is not nearby, and lighting a yellow light for any determination in between. As a result, when using an electric gripping tool to drill holes in an object such as concrete, the electric gripping tool is brought into contact with the surface of the object to detect the presence or absence of metal, and the detection result is displayed on the display unit by switching the light color, allowing the worker to process the object while recognizing the location of metal by looking at the color of light on the display unit showing the detection result. As a result, marking work is no longer necessary, and the presence or absence of metal present inside an object such as concrete can be notified to the worker without coming into contact with the metal, allowing various processing to be performed on the object.

[0031] A metal detection program according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is a metal detection program for detecting metal using a metal detection sensor that can be attached to the tip of an electric gripping tool that processes an object, and causes a computer to execute a metal detection method using a metal detection sensor, the method including a detection signal acquisition step, a determination step, and a display control step. In the detection signal acquisition step, a detection signal acquisition unit of the metal detection sensor acquires a detection signal that changes depending on the detection intensity of metal in the object. In the determination step, a determination unit of the metal detection sensor determines the presence or absence of metal based on the acquisition result acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit. In the display control step, a display control unit of the metal detection sensor controls to switch the color of light displayed on the display unit based on the determination result by the determination unit.

[0032] Here, for example, a metal detection program for a metal detection sensor that can be attached to an electric hand-held tool that drives a tip tool such as a drill to perform processing such as drilling holes in objects such as concrete detects metals such as rebar contained in objects such as concrete and displays the detection results by switching the color of light. Here, examples of electric hand-held tools to which a metal detection sensor is attached include electric tools such as hammer drills, impact drills, and vibration drills that are held by a worker to perform various types of processing on objects such as concrete.

[0033] The target object includes, for example, walls made of concrete, plaster board, etc. at construction sites such as apartment buildings, buildings, and factories. Furthermore, the metals that can be detected include, for example, reinforcing bars contained in reinforced concrete, and metals such as aluminum and stainless steel installed inside walls. Metal detection includes, for example, an induction type that detects the impedance of a detection coil, which changes due to eddy currents generated in a metal when the metal approaches a magnetic field generated by passing a current through the detection coil; a capacitance type that detects changes in capacitance between the detection coil and the metal being detected; and a high-frequency oscillation type that detects non-magnetic materials such as aluminum.

[0034] Display control according to the presence or absence of metal includes, for example, displaying three colors of light by lighting a red light when it is determined that metal is nearby, lighting a green light when it is determined that metal is not nearby, and lighting a yellow light for any determination in between. As a result, when using an electric gripping tool to drill holes in an object such as concrete, the electric gripping tool can be brought into contact with the surface of the object to detect the presence or absence of metal, and the detection result can be displayed on the display unit by switching the light color, allowing the worker to process the object while recognizing the location of metal by looking at the color of light on the display unit showing the detection result.

[0035] As a result, marking work is no longer necessary, and the presence or absence of metal present inside an object such as concrete can be notified to the worker without coming into contact with the metal, allowing various processing to be performed on the object. Effect of the Invention

[0036] The metal detection sensor according to the present invention can notify an operator of the presence or absence of metal present inside an object such as concrete without coming into contact with the metal. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which concrete is processed while detecting the presence or absence of reinforcing bars by using an electric gripping tool equipped with a metal detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view showing the configuration of the electric grip tool shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view showing the configuration of the electric grip tool shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electric gripping tool of FIG. 2 . [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the electric gripping tool of FIG. 3 . [Figure 6] 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a metal detection sensor provided in the electric gripping tool shown in FIG. 2 etc. [Figure 7] 3 is a graph showing metal detection modes that can be set in the electric gripping tool of FIG. 2 etc.; [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the electric gripping tool shown in FIG. 2 etc. [Figure 9] 3 is a diagram for explaining a metal detection method using the electric gripping tool shown in FIG. 2 etc. [Figure 10] 7(a) to (f) are diagrams showing control for lighting different colored lights on the display unit of the metal detection sensor of FIG. 6 according to the determination result indicating the presence or absence of metal. [Figure 11] 7(a) to (h) are diagrams showing control for lighting different colored lights on the display unit of the metal detection sensor of FIG. 6 according to the determination result indicating the presence or absence of metal. [Figure 12] 7(a) to (d) are diagrams showing control for lighting different colored lights on the display unit of the metal detection sensor of FIG. 6 according to the determination result indicating the presence or absence of metal. [Figure 13] 2 is a main flowchart showing the flow of processes in a metal detection method and a processing method using the electric gripping tool in FIG. 1 . [Figure 14]14 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of the initialization process in FIG. 13. [Figure 15] 14 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of the determination process in FIG. 13. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an electric grip tool including a metal detection sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the electric gripping tool of FIG. 16 . [Figure 18] 17(a) and (b) are side views illustrating a retraction mechanism included in the electric grip tool of FIG. 16. [Figure 19] FIG. 17 is a control block diagram of the electric gripping tool of FIG. 16 . [Figure 20] 5A, 5B, and 5C are perspective views showing the configuration of a metal detection sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the metal detection sensor of FIG. 6 is used alone. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] (Embodiment 1) An electric gripping tool 10 equipped with a metal detection sensor 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 to 15 and 21. In the following description, the tip side refers to the side on which the tip tool 18a that performs processing using the electric gripping tool 10 is attached, and the rear end side refers to the side opposite to the tip side.

[0039] The electric gripping tool 10 according to this embodiment is, for example, a hammer drill (a type of electric gripping tool) that an operator holds in his / her hand while performing work while detecting the position of rebar (metal) embedded in concrete (target object) W, as shown in FIG. 1, and a metal detection sensor 20 is attached integrally to the tip end 18 on which a tip tool 18a such as a drill is attached.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, the electric gripping tool 10 moves the metal detection sensor 20 along the surface of the concrete W, and when it approaches the position where the reinforcing bar W1 is buried, it changes the color of the light illuminated on the display unit 24 (see Figure 6, etc.), which will be described later, to notify the worker of the presence or absence of the reinforcing bar W1. This allows the worker to recognize the presence or absence of the reinforcing bar W1 by looking at the color of the light lit on the display unit 24. Therefore, the worker can perform work such as drilling holes in the concrete W using the electric gripping tool 10 while avoiding contact of the tip tool 18a with the reinforcing bar W1.

[0041] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which multiple reinforcing bars W1 are embedded in a lattice pattern in concrete W, but the number, thickness, length, etc. of the reinforcing bars W1 are not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 1. First, the external configuration of the electric gripping tool 10 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 5. Figs.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the electric gripping tool 10 includes a main body 11, a metal detection sensor 20, and a dust collecting unit 40. The main body 11 has a gripping portion 11a that is gripped by the worker during work, a trigger switch 12a that rotates a motor (drive unit) 14 (see Figure 8) when gripped by the worker, a battery 17a that supplies power to the electric gripping tool 10, and a tip portion 18 arranged on the side where processing is performed on the concrete W.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the grip portion 11a is provided so as to protrude from the left side surface of the main body portion 11, and is gripped by the left hand of an operator when performing work using the electric grip tool 10. The grip portion 11a may be attached to the operator in the opposite direction depending on the operator's dominant hand. As shown in FIG. 3, a reset switch 19 is provided on the surface of the grip portion 11a. The reset switch 19 is pressed when manually initializing the metal detection sensor 20. As shown in FIG.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the trigger switch 12a is provided on the side of the body 11 opposite the tip end 18 (the rear end side), and is held by an operator when rotating the tip tool 18a to perform work. The battery 17a is a rechargeable secondary battery that supplies power to the components included in the electric grip tool 10, and is attached in a replaceable state to the lower part on the rear end side of the main body 11, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0045] 2 and 3, the tip portion 18 is provided on the side of the main body 11 that is closer to the concrete W during work, and a tip tool 18a such as a drill is attached to the tip portion 18. The tip portion 18 is rotated together with the tip tool 18a by the motor 14 being rotationally driven and controlled in accordance with the amount of operation of the trigger switch 12a. The metal detection sensor 20 is attached integrally to the tip side of the main body 11 of the electric gripping tool 10 in order to detect the presence or absence of reinforcing bars W1 in concrete W where work such as drilling holes is performed using the electric gripping tool 10. The metal detection sensor 20 is detachably attached to a recess formed on the rear end side of the sensor attachment portion 43 of the dust collection unit 40, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0046] The metal detection sensor 20 has a generally circular ring shape, and is provided at its center with a work hole into which a tip tool 18a such as a drill is inserted during processing. The detailed configuration of the metal detection sensor 20 will be described later. The dust collector 40 is provided to suck up dust from the concrete W that is generated when, for example, a tip tool 18a such as a drill is rotated to perform processing such as drilling holes in the concrete W. Specifically, the dust and the like are sucked up from a suction port 43a provided in a sensor attachment part 43 on which the metal detection sensor 20 is attached, which is located at the tip side of the electric gripping tool 10 where processing is performed.

[0047] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the dust collection section 40 is removably attached to the lower part of the main body 11 of the electric gripping tool 10, and has a main body 41, an attachment section 42, a sensor attachment section 43, and an arm section 44. The main body 41 has a box-like shape including a suction mechanism (not shown) therein, and has a space formed therein for collecting dust and the like sucked in from a suction port 43a via an arm 44. The main body 41 is provided with a sensor attachment portion 43 and an arm 44 at the leading end side where machining is performed, and a mounting portion 42 at the rear end side.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 5, the mounting portion 42 is a portion to which the main body 11 of the electric grip tool 10 is mounted, and fixes the main body 11 in an engaged state. 4 and 5, the sensor attachment part 43 is a substantially annular part provided at the tip of the arm part 44 provided at the tip side of the main body part 41 of the dust collection part 40, and the metal detection sensor 20 is attached from the rear end side. The sensor attachment part 43 has a suction port 43a formed on the inner circumferential surface of the substantially annular part.

[0049] Further, the sensor attachment portion 43 has an opening 43b in the center of the substantially annular ring as a working hole into which the tip tool 18a such as a drill is inserted. Furthermore, a contact surface 46 (see FIG. 2) is formed on the tip side of the sensor attachment portion 43, which comes into contact with the concrete W when the metal detection sensor 20 is used to detect the reinforcing bar W1. As shown in FIG. 2, four rollers 46a are rotatably attached to the contact surface 46 so as to surround the central opening (operating hole) of the sensor attachment portion 43.

[0050] This allows the metal detection sensor 20 to be moved smoothly in the scanning direction (for example, horizontally) with the contact surface 46 in contact with the surface of the concrete W. Therefore, metal detection can be performed while moving the metal detection sensor 20 (electric gripping tool 10) in a desired scanning direction without generating frictional resistance between the surface of the concrete W and the contact surface 46.

[0051] The arm portion 44 is a hollow member having a hollow interior, and guides dust and the like sucked in from a suction port 43a of the sensor attachment portion 43 provided at the tip side into the main body portion 41. The arm portion 44 is attached to the main body portion 41 in a state in which it can advance and retreat. This allows the length of the arm portion 44 to be adjusted to an appropriate length depending on the length of the tip tool 18a attached to the tip portion 18. Furthermore, when only performing an operation of detecting the presence or absence of reinforcing bars W1 using the metal detection sensor 20 before performing an operation such as drilling a hole, or when attaching or detaching the tip tool 18a to or from the tip portion 18, the arm portion 44 can be pulled out from the main body portion 41 to easily perform the operation of detecting the reinforcing bars W1 or the operation of replacing the tip tool 18a.

[0052] Next, the configuration of the metal detection sensor 20 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the metal detection sensor 20 has a substantially circular ring shape, and includes a case (mounting portion) 21, a sensor portion 22, a spacer 23, a display portion 24, and a cover 25. As shown in Fig. 5, the case (mounting part) 21 is disposed on the side where the metal detection sensor 20 is attached in the recess of the sensor attachment part 43. As shown in Fig. 6, the case 21 is a substantially annular member disposed on the most distal end side of the members constituting the metal detection sensor 20, and has a main body part 21a and a switch cover 21b.

[0053] The main body 21a is a substantially annular member having an opening in the center, and contains the sensor unit 22, the spacer 23, and the display unit 24 within the space formed between the main body 21a and the cover 25. The switch cover 21b is, for example, a rubber member attached to the outer circumferential surface of the main body 21a, and forms a dustproof / waterproof structure that covers an initialization switch (not shown) and the like provided inside the main body 21a.

[0054] When the switch cover 21b is pressed, the detection signal of the metal detection sensor 20 can be initialized. 6, the sensor unit 22 has a substantially annular main body 22a and a coil 22b wound around the outer circumferential surface of the main body 22a. The sensor unit 22 is an induction sensor that detects the reinforcing bar W1 by detecting the impedance of the coil 22b, which changes due to an eddy current generated in the reinforcing bar W1 when the reinforcing bar W1 approaches a magnetic field formed by current flowing through the coil 22b.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6, the spacer 23 has a substantially annular main body portion 23a, and is provided between the sensor portion 22 and a substrate 24a of the display portion 24. Thereby, the spacer 23 can reduce the influence of the metal of the substrate 24a on the sensor portion 22 and can suppress the transfer of heat generated in the substrate 24a to the sensor portion 22.

[0056] 6, the display unit 24 has a substrate 24a, eight full-color LEDs (light emitting diodes) 24b, and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector 24c. The eight full-color LEDs 24b are arranged on the substantially annular substrate 24a, facing an opening formed in the center of the substrate 24a. The LEDs 24b notify the detection result of the reinforcing bar W1 detected by the sensor unit 22 by lighting up different colors (green, yellow, and red in this embodiment) according to the distance to the reinforcing bar W1.

[0057] For example, when the distance to the reinforcing bar W1 is relatively large, the display unit 24 causes the LED 24b to emit a green light. On the other hand, when the distance to the reinforcing bar W1 is relatively small, the display unit 24 causes the LED 24b to emit a red light. Furthermore, when the distance to the reinforcing bar W1 is between the green and red lights, the display unit 24 causes the LED 24b to emit a yellow light. In the metal detection sensor 20 of this embodiment, the display unit 24 includes eight LEDs 24b, so all eight LEDs 24b may be illuminated with the same lighting color, or the number of lighting colors, green, yellow, and red, may be switched depending on the distance to the reinforcing bar W1.

[0058] This allows the worker to check the color of the light that is lit on the display unit 24 of the metal detection sensor 20, thereby enabling him or her to ascertain the approximate distance to the reinforcing bar W1. Furthermore, in the metal detection sensor 20 of this embodiment, for example, when it is determined as a result of detection by the sensor unit 22 that no rebar W1 is present, the metal detection sensor 20 causes the LED 24b to emit a green light, and then detects that the trigger switch 12a has been operated and causes the LED 24b to emit a white light.

[0059] This white light is used as auxiliary light for brightly illuminating the position where machining is performed when the trigger switch 12a is operated to rotate the motor 14 and rotate the tip tool 18a. This allows the display unit 24 to not only show the detection result of the reinforcing bar W1, but also to emit light as auxiliary light that brightly illuminates the processing position when processing is being performed. 21, one end of a USB cable 51 for connecting to an external device such as a battery 50 is connected to the USB connector 24c. This allows the metal detection sensor 20 to be used independently by receiving power from the battery 50 to which the other end of the USB cable 51 is connected.

[0060] 21, an initialization switch 52 may be provided near the center of the USB cable 51. This allows the initialization process of the metal detection sensor 20 to be performed even when the initialization switch 52 provided on the USB cable 51 is operated. 6, the cover 25 is a substantially annular member located at the rearmost end side among the members constituting the metal detection sensor 20, and together with the above-mentioned case 21, constitutes the outer shell of the metal detection sensor 20. The cover 25 also has a main body portion 25a and a mode display surface 25b.

[0061] The main body 25a is a substantially annular member, and has three mode notification LEDs (not shown) mounted therein. Mode display surface 25b is the surface on the rear end side (the side facing the operator) of main body 25a, and displays a plurality of metal detection modes, which will be described later, by lighting up lights of different colors. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, three metal detection modes (deep mode, medium mode, shallow mode) are set to be selected in advance by the operator.

[0062] The three metal detection modes are selected by the operator with different threshold values ​​set for judgment depending on, for example, the depth at which the reinforcing bars W1 are believed to be present, the thickness, number, spacing, etc. of the reinforcing bars W1. Switching between these three modes is performed by a mode switch (not shown). In this way, since a different threshold value is set for each mode, for example, when the shallow mode is selected, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy for the reinforcing bars W1 that are located at a relatively shallow position from the surface of the concrete W. This makes it possible to accurately detect, for example, a plurality of thick reinforcing bars W1 that are located at a relatively shallow position from the surface of the concrete W.

[0063] Moreover, when the deep mode is selected, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of the reinforcing bars W1 that are present at a relatively deep position from the surface of the concrete W. This makes it possible to accurately detect, for example, thin reinforcing bars W1 that are present at a deep position from the surface of the concrete W. Next, the control block of the electric gripping tool 10 will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the electric gripping tool 10 includes the main body 11, the metal detection sensor 20, and the dust collecting unit 40.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 8, the main body 11 has an operation unit 12, a drive control unit 13, a motor (drive unit) 14, a signal transmitting / receiving unit 15, a posture detection unit 16, a power supply unit 17, and a reset switch 19. The operation unit 12 is connected to a trigger switch 12 a of the electric gripping tool 10 , detects the amount of operation of the trigger switch 12 a, and transmits the amount of operation of the trigger switch 12 a to the drive control unit 13 .

[0065] The drive control unit 13 controls the rotation speed of the motor 14 in accordance with the amount of operation of the trigger switch 12a received from the operation unit 12. The drive control unit 13 also receives a drive prohibition signal or drive permission signal transmitted from the signal transmitting / receiving unit 36 ​​in accordance with the determination result in the determination unit 32 of the metal detection sensor 20, and prohibits or permits driving of the motor 14. The motor (drive unit) 14 is controlled by a drive control unit 13 to rotate a tip unit 18 to which a tip tool 18a is attached, thereby performing processing such as drilling holes in the surface of the concrete W.

[0066] The signal transmitting / receiving unit 15 is capable of communicating with a signal transmitting / receiving unit 36 ​​on the metal detection sensor 20 side, receives the determination result from the determination unit 32 of the metal detection sensor 20, and transmits it to the drive control unit 13. In addition, when a reset switch 19 provided on the main body 11 side is operated, or when the attitude detection unit 16 detects that the electric gripping tool 10 has assumed a predetermined attitude, the signal transmitting / receiving unit 15 transmits an initialization signal for initializing the metal detection sensor 20 to the metal detection sensor 20 side.

[0067] The attitude detection unit 16 is, for example, a gyro sensor provided for detecting that the electric grip tool 10 has taken a predetermined attitude. For example, the attitude detection unit 16 detects that the electric grip tool 10 has shifted from a sideways attitude to a vertically upward attitude. In the electric grip tool 10 of this embodiment, by detecting the specific posture of the electric grip tool 10 in this manner, for example, an initialization process is automatically performed.

[0068] In other words, the initialization process for initializing the detection result of the metal detection sensor 20 may be performed by detecting that the electric gripping tool 10 has reached a predetermined posture by the posture detection unit 16, in addition to manually operating the reset switch 19. As a result, for example, the worker does not need to manually press the reset switch 19 every time the location where metal detection is performed changes. Instead, the worker can simply place the electric gripping tool 10 in a specified position when initializing, and the initialization process will be performed automatically, allowing the worker to detect and process the reinforcing bar W1 in the new location.

[0069] The power supply unit 17 is a power supply that supplies power by the replaceable battery 17 a described above, and supplies power to the components within the main body unit 11 , the components of the metal detection sensor 20 , and the dust collection unit 40 . The reset switch 19 is provided at the base of the grip portion 11a described above, and is a manual switch that is pressed when performing initialization processing of the metal detection sensor 20, and is operated, for example, by the thumb of the operator's left hand.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 8, the metal detection sensor 20 has a detection signal acquisition unit 31, a judgment unit 32, a memory unit 33, a display control unit 34, a display unit 24, a signal transmission / reception unit (prohibition signal transmission unit, permission signal transmission unit) 36, and an initialization processing unit 37. The detection signal acquisition unit 31 acquires a detection signal that indicates a change in impedance of the coil 22b detected by the sensor unit 22 of FIG.

[0071] Based on the detection signal acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit 31, the determination unit 32 determines whether the reinforcing bar W1 is present or not, or the approximate distance to the reinforcing bar W1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, in order to detect the presence or absence of reinforcing bars W1 buried in concrete W, when the metal detection sensor 20 is scanned, for example, from left to right in the figure, the detection value fluctuates up and down as the metal detection sensor 20 moves.

[0072] At this time, the determination unit 32 detects the presence or absence of the reinforcing bar W1 by using a determination threshold value set according to each of the above-mentioned modes. For example, FIG. 9 shows a composite detection graph in which peaks of detection values ​​appear consecutively due to a plurality of reinforcing bars W1 embedded in concrete W. In the graph shown in FIG. 9, at positions where the detection value is greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the reinforcing bar W1 is present.

[0073] The storage unit 33 stores the detection signal acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit 31, the determination result by the determination unit 32, and the like. The display control unit 34 controls the display unit 24 so as to change the lighting color of the eight LEDs 24b included in the display unit 24 described above, based on the determination result by the determination unit 32. For example, when the display control unit 34 determines that the reinforcing bar W1 is not present or in the initial state, it causes the eight LEDs 24b to light up in green, and as it approaches the reinforcing bar W1, it changes the color of the light from green to yellow to red in that order according to the distance to the reinforcing bar W1.

[0074] Furthermore, when the reinforcing bar W1 is not detected and the trigger switch 12a is in the ON state, the display control unit 34 turns on the eight LEDs 24b with white light and irradiates the processed surface of the concrete W with white light to assist in the work. More specifically, in the graph shown in Figure 9, the display control unit 34 changes the lighting color of the LED 24b of the display unit 24 based on the judgment result of the judgment unit 32, thereby notifying the worker of the positions where the reinforcing bar W1 is present and the positions where it is not present.

[0075] For example, FIG. 10(a) to FIG. 12(d) show control for switching the lighting color of the LED 24b of the display unit 24 according to the determination result of the determination unit 32. In FIG. That is, FIG. 10(b) shows the display in the initial state or when the reinforcing bar W1 is not present nearby, and shows the state in which all eight LEDs 24b of the display unit 24 are lit in green.

[0076] FIG. 10(a) shows a state in which the white light is turned on during the above-mentioned work, following the initial state of FIG. 10(b). Then, from the initial state in Figure 10(b) to Figures 10(c) to 10(e), the lighting color of one to three of the eight LEDs 24b is changed from green to yellow to indicate that the area is approaching the reinforcing bar W1 but that processing such as drilling is possible.

[0077] Specifically, in the lighting state shown in FIG. 10(c), the one directly below is yellow and the others are green; in the lighting state shown in FIG. 10(d), the one directly below to the right is yellow and the others are green; and in the lighting state shown in FIG. 10(e), the two directly below to the right are yellow and the others are green. The worker can set in advance the areas in the lit states shown in Figs. 10(b) to 10(e) as workable areas where processing such as drilling is possible.

[0078] Next, in FIG. 10(f), the reinforcing bar W1 comes even closer, and the illumination color of four of the eight LEDs 24b changes from green to yellow (the three to the right from directly below are yellow, and the rest are green). This allows the worker to set the areas in the lit state shown in FIG. 10(f) as areas where work is not permitted.

[0079] Similarly, Figures 11(a) to 11(d) show a state in which the reinforcing bar W1 comes even closer, and the lighting color of five of the eight LEDs 24b changes to yellow (the five from directly below to directly above are yellow, and the rest are green), and then changes to a lighting color of all eight LEDs 24b. This allows the worker to similarly set the areas in the lit states shown in Figs. 11(a) to 11(d) as no-work areas.

[0080] If the reinforcing bar W1 comes even closer from here, the lighting color of one to three of the eight LEDs 24b changes from yellow to red, as shown in Figs. 11(e) to 11(h). Specifically, in the lighting state shown in FIG. 11(e), the one directly below is red and the others are yellow; in the lighting state shown in FIG. 11(f), the one from directly below to the right is red and the others are yellow; in the lighting state shown in FIG. 11(g), the two from directly below to the right are red and the others are yellow; and in the lighting state shown in FIG. 11(h), the three from directly below to the right are red and the others are yellow.

[0081] The worker can also set in advance the areas in which the lights are turned on as shown in Figs. 11(e) to 11(h) as unworkable areas where processing such as drilling holes is not possible. When the reinforcing bar W1 is approached further from this point, the lighting color of five to eight of the eight LEDs 24b changes from yellow to red, as shown in Figs. 12(a) to 12(d).

[0082] This allows the worker to set the areas in the lit states shown in Figs. 12(a) to 12(d) as no-work areas, particularly those close to the reinforcing bar W1. In the electric gripping tool 10 of this embodiment, the worker can identify a workable area (area without the reinforcing bar W1) where drilling or other processing is possible based on the detection result by checking the lighting color displayed on the display unit 24, which changes based on the detection result of the reinforcing bar W1 by the metal detection sensor 20. Therefore, the worker can perform the work safely while preventing the tip tool 18a from coming into contact with the reinforcing bar W1 during the work.

[0083] As described above, the signal transmitter / receiver 36 is capable of communicating with the signal transmitter / receiver 15 on the main body 11 side of the electric gripping tool 10, and transmits, for example, the determination result of the determination unit 32 of the metal detection sensor 20. In addition, the signal transmitter / receiver 36 receives an initialization signal for initializing the metal detection sensor 20 from the main body 11 side when the reset switch 19 provided on the main body 11 side is operated or when the attitude detection unit 16 detects a predetermined attitude. The initialization processing unit 37 performs an initialization process to erase the detection results of the reinforcing bar W1 stored in the memory unit 33 based on the results of the posture detection of the electric gripping tool 10 by the posture detection unit 16 or by operating the reset switch 19.

[0084] <Processing method using the electric gripping tool 10 (metal detection method)> In the machining method using the electric gripping tool 10 of this embodiment, with the above-described configuration, processing is performed according to the flowcharts shown in Figs.

[0085] FIG. 13 shows a main flow including an initialization process and a determination process performed in the electric gripping tool 10. As shown in FIG. That is, in step S11, for example, when the power is turned on or the reset switch 19 is pressed, the initialization processing unit 37 of the metal detection sensor 20 performs initialization processing.

[0086] At this time, the display control unit 34 causes the LED 24b of the display unit 24 to light up in green, which is the initial state shown in FIG. 10(b). Next, in step S12, the determining unit 32 of the metal detection sensor 20 described above performs a determination process to determine whether or not a reinforcing bar W1 is present at the position scanned by the metal detection sensor 20. At this time, the display control unit 34 causes the LED 24b of the display unit 24 to light up in one of the colors, green, yellow, and red, corresponding to the determination result of the determination unit 32 (see FIG. 10(b) to FIG. 12(d)).

[0087] Next, in step S13, it is determined whether or not the reset switch 19 has been operated to turn ON. If it has turned ON, the process returns to step S11, where the initialization process is performed again, and for example, metal detection is determined in another location. On the other hand, if the reset switch 19 is not in the ON state, the process returns to step S12, and the initialization process is not performed, and for example, the metal detection determination is continued in the same location.

[0088] FIG. 14 shows a detailed process flow of the initialization process in step S11 of FIG. That is, in step S21, with the metal detection sensor 20 in contact with the surface of the concrete W for which the reinforcing bar W1 is to be detected, the coil 22b of the sensor unit 22 starts oscillating to obtain a detection signal of the reinforcing bar W1. Next, in step S22, the detection signal acquisition unit 31 of the metal detection sensor 20 acquires Rp data (detection signal) indicating the degree of detection of the reinforcing bar W1.

[0089] Next, in step S23, the acquired Rp data is stored in the storage unit 33 as an initial Rp value (reference value), and the initialization process ends. FIG. 15 shows a detailed process flow of the determination process in step S12 of FIG. That is, in step S31, in order to start detection of the reinforcing bar W1, the metal detection sensor 20 is brought into contact with the surface of the concrete W where the reinforcing bar W1 is to be detected, and the coil 22b of the sensor unit 22 starts to oscillate, and the detection signal acquisition unit 31 acquires Rp data from the sensor unit 22.

[0090] Next, in step S32, it is determined whether the difference between the Rp value of the Rp data acquired in step S31 and the initial Rp value stored in storage unit 33 in step S23 (Rp value-initial Rp value) is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. If it is smaller than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S33, whereas if it is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S39.

[0091] Next, in step S33, since it is determined in step S32 that (Rp value-initial Rp value)<threshold, the determination unit 32 determines that the reinforcing bar W1 is not present. Next, in step S34, since it is determined in step S33 that the reinforcing bar W1 is not present, the area is determined to be a drive-permitted area, and the LED 24b of the display unit 24 is caused to light up in green.

[0092] Next, in step S35, based on the determination result in the determination unit 32 of the metal detection sensor 20, the signal transmitting / receiving unit 36 ​​transmits a drive permission signal (Hi) to the main body 11 to permit driving of the motor 14 of the main body 11. On the other hand, in step S36, since it is determined in step S32 that (Rp value-initial Rp value) is not less than the threshold value, the determining unit 32 determines that the reinforcing bar W1 is present.

[0093] Next, in step S37, since it was determined in step S36 that the reinforcing bar W1 is present, the area is determined to be a drive-prohibited area, and the LED 24b of the display unit 24 is caused to light up in red. Regarding the control of turning on the green light in step S34 and the control of turning on the red light in step S37, it may be possible to control so that a yellow light is turned on between the green light and the red light depending on the distance to the reinforcing bar W1 (the magnitude of the Rp value).

[0094] Next, in step S38, based on the determination result in the determination unit 32 of the metal detection sensor 20, the signal transmitting / receiving unit 36 ​​transmits a drive prohibition signal (Low) to the main body unit 11 to prohibit the motor 14 of the main body unit 11 from being driven. Next, in step S39, the signal transmitting / receiving unit 15 on the main body 11 side receives a determination signal (drive permission signal (Hi) or drive prohibition signal (Low)) from the signal transmitting / receiving unit 36 ​​on the metal detection sensor 20 side.

[0095] Next, in step S40, when the trigger switch 12a is operated to be turned ON, in step S41, it is determined whether or not the received determination signal is a drive permission signal (Hi). If the determination signal received by the signal transmitting / receiving unit 15 is a drive permission signal (Hi), the process proceeds to step S42. On the other hand, if the determination signal received is a drive prohibition signal (Low), the process proceeds to step S45.

[0096] Next, in step S42, since it has been determined in step S41 that the determination signal received by the signal transmitting / receiving unit 15 is the drive permission signal (Hi), the drive control unit 13 permits the motor 14 to be driven. Next, in step S43, the signal transmitting / receiving unit 36 ​​transmits a drive permission signal, and the trigger switch 12a is operated and turned ON in step S36, so the display control unit 34 causes the LED 24b of the display unit 24 to light up in white light.

[0097] Next, in step S44, the drive control unit 13 controls the rotation speed of the motor 14 in accordance with the amount of operation of the trigger switch 12a to drive and rotate the tip tool 18a. This allows the worker to work on the concrete W while avoiding the reinforcing bars W1, with the area to be worked on illuminated and brightened by the white light. As a result, the workability and safety of the worker can be improved.

[0098] On the other hand, in step S45, as a result of the judgment in step S41, it is determined that the judgment signal received by the signal transmission / reception unit 15 is not a drive permission signal (Hi), so the signal transmission / reception unit 15 determines that it has received a drive prohibition signal (Low), and terminates the processing by not permitting the drive of the motor 14. As a result, when it is determined in step S39 that the reinforcing bar W1 is in a prohibited drive area, the drive of the motor 14 is prohibited on the main body 11 side, so that even if the trigger switch 12a is operated and turned ON in the prohibited drive area, the drive control unit 13 can perform drive control so that the motor 14 is not rotated.

[0099] This makes it possible to prevent machining from being performed erroneously in a drive prohibited area where the reinforcing bar W1 is present, resulting in the tip tool 18a coming into contact with the reinforcing bar W1. In addition, in the electric gripping tool 10 of this embodiment, the metal detection sensor 20 is provided on the tip side, so that processing of the concrete W can be performed while avoiding the reinforcing bars W1 while detecting the reinforcing bars W1.

[0100] Therefore, compared to when detecting reinforcing bars using a conventional metal detection sensor that is provided separately from the electric gripping tool, there is no need to perform tasks such as marking the surface of the concrete W. As a result, the workability from detection of the reinforcing bar W1 to processing it into concrete W can be improved compared to the conventional art. Furthermore, since the metal detection sensor 20 notifies the presence or absence of reinforcing bar W1 by controlling the lighting of LED 24b of display unit 24, it can be used in noisy work environments compared to conventional metal detection sensors that notify the worker by an alarm sound.

[0101] Furthermore, since the metal detection sensor 20 is integrally attached to the tip side of the electric gripping tool 10, operations from detection of the reinforcing bar W1 to processing can be carried out continuously. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the metal detection sensor 20 determines that a reinforcing bar W1 is present, the color and number of lights displayed on the LEDs 24b of the display unit 24 are changed in stages according to the distance to the reinforcing bar W1.

[0102] This makes it possible to set areas on the surface of the concrete W in stages, for example, from drive permitted areas to drive prohibited areas. Here, the LED 24b, which indicates the result of the determination of the presence or absence of the reinforcing bar W1 by the metal detection sensor 20, is disposed so as to face the inner diameter side of the substantially annular metal detection sensor 20 (the tip tool 18a side of the electric gripping tool 10).

[0103] This reduces the strain on the worker's eyes caused by looking directly at the light source, and by turning on the white light when working with the electric gripping tool 10, the area where the worker is working can be brightly illuminated to ensure visibility. The metal detection sensor 20 can also be used alone, and the hole drilling operation and metal detection can be performed in parallel.

[0104] (Embodiment 2) An electric grip tool 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The electric grip tool 100 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the dust collection unit 40 is not attached to the main body 11, and the metal detection sensor 20 is attached via a holder 101. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 16, an electric gripping tool 100 of this embodiment does not have the dust collecting unit 40 of the first embodiment, and has a metal detection sensor 20 attached to the tip side via a holder 101. 16, the holder 101 is attached to the tip side of the main body 11 of the electric gripping tool 100 in order to integrate the main body 11 and the metal detection sensor 20. As shown in FIG 17, the holder 101 has an expandable beam 101a, a sensor holding portion 101b, a fixing portion 101c, a harness port 101d, and a grip fixing portion 101e.

[0106] The telescopic beam 101a is a member that can expand and contract toward the tip side with respect to the main body 11, and a bellows 102 for passing a harness (not shown) is disposed inside the concave portion. As a result, for example, by adjusting the length of the telescopic beam 101a so that it becomes an appropriate length depending on the length of the tip tool 18a, when attaching or detaching the tip tool 18a to the tip portion 18, the replacement work can be easily performed by extending the telescopic beam 101a.

[0107] The sensor holding portion 101b is provided on the front end side of the holder 101, and the metal detection sensor 20 is attached from the rear end side. The fixing portion 101c is a portion for fixing the holder 101 to the main body 11 of the electric gripping tool 100, and the tip portion 18 of the main body 11 is inserted into the substantially annular portion. The harness port 101d is an opening provided at the rear end of the holder 101, and a harness (not shown) is pulled out from the metal detection sensor 20 via the bellows .

[0108] The grip fixing portion 101e is a member for fixing the grip portion 11a, and is provided extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the holder 101. The electric gripping tool 100 of this embodiment is used in a state in which the metal detection sensor 20 is integrated with the main body 11 via the holder 101. This makes it possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0109] Here, the electric gripping tool 100 of this embodiment may be an electric gripping tool 200 configured so that after the metal detection sensor 20 determines the presence or absence of a reinforcing bar W1, the metal detection sensor 20 retreats from the processing position by the tip tool 18a. That is, as shown in Figures 18(a) and 18(b), the electric gripping tool 200 rotates (moves) the metal detection sensor 20 arranged at the tip of the holder 101 downward to move it away from the vicinity of the tip tool 18a of the electric gripping tool 10 and perform the hole drilling operation.

[0110] The retraction mechanism 203 for retracting the metal detection sensor 20 downward is provided near the connection between the main body 11 and the holder 201, and includes a wire 203a as shown in FIG. 18(a). Further, the metal detection sensor 20 is attached to the sensor holding portion 201b of the holder 201 from the rear end side.

[0111] A contact sensor (contact detection unit) 202 that detects contact with the surface of the concrete W is provided on the tip side of the sensor holding unit 201b. The contact sensor 202 is, for example, a strain sensor or a photosensor, and is attached to the surface of the tip side of the sensor holding part 201b via a spring 202a and is biased toward the tip side. When the contact sensor 202 comes into contact with the surface of the concrete W, the spring 202a contracts and the contact sensor 202 transitions from an OFF state to an ON state.

[0112] 19, the contact sensor 202 is provided as a component of the electric gripping tool 200. When the contact sensor 202 detects contact with the surface of the concrete W, the retraction mechanism 203 moves the metal detection sensor 20 to a retracted position in cooperation with the retraction mechanism 203. At this time, in a normal state, the contact sensor 202 is biased by the biasing force of the spring 202a in a direction away from the metal detection sensor 20. Therefore, tension is also applied to the internal wire 203a, and the horizontal state of the holder 201 is maintained (see FIG. 18(a)).

[0113] When the electric gripping tool 200 is pressed against the surface of the concrete W during drilling work, etc., the spring 202a is compressed and the tension in the internal wire 203a is released, causing the metal detection sensor 20 to rotate downward together with the holder 201 due to gravity (see Figure 18(b)). As a result, when processing concrete W using the tip tool 18a, the load on the metal detection sensor 20, such as exposure to dust and application of vibrations, can be reduced.

[0114] When the work is completed, the electric gripping tool 200 is removed from the surface of the concrete W, and the contact sensor 202 is again urged in the direction away from the metal detection sensor 20 by the force of the spring 202a, and tension is restored in the internal wire 203a as a result, and the metal detection sensor 20 returns to its normal position. In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the retraction mechanism 203 is activated when the contact sensor 202 comes into contact with the surface of the concrete W. However, the metal detection sensor 20 may also be retracted from the tip side of the electric gripping tool 10 by manually operating a push button SW or the like, for example. Furthermore, when the contact sensor 202 detects contact with the surface of the concrete W, the initialization processing unit 37 may perform an initialization process.

[0115] [Other embodiments] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0116] (A) In the above embodiment, an example of the present invention has been described as being realized as the metal detection sensor 20 and the metal detection method using the same, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be realized as a metal detection program that causes a computer to execute the metal detection method using the metal detection sensor described above.

[0117] This metal detection program is stored in a memory (storage unit) mounted on the electric gripping tool, and the CPU reads the program stored in the memory and causes the hardware to execute each step. More specifically, the CPU reads the metal detection program and executes the above-mentioned detection signal acquisition step, judgment step, and display control step, thereby achieving the same effects as those described above. Furthermore, the present invention may be realized as a recording medium on which such a metal detection program is stored.

[0118] (B) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a plurality of rotatable rollers 46a are provided on the contact surface 46 formed on the tip side of the metal detection sensor 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0119] In other words, in order to improve the workability when scanning the metal detection sensor along the surface of concrete to detect reinforcing bars, it is preferable that the contact surface with the concrete surface be configured or treated to reduce frictional resistance. For example, as shown in FIG. 20(a), a metal detection sensor 121 may be used in which a surface treatment portion 121a for reducing friction is formed on the surface that comes into contact with concrete.

[0120] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 20(b), a metal detection sensor 122 may be provided with a plurality of spheres 122b on a surface 122a that comes into contact with concrete, the spheres 122b rotating while in contact with the surface of concrete. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20(c), a metal detection sensor 123 may be provided with two roller portions 123b on a surface 123a that comes into contact with concrete, the roller portions 123b rotating while in contact with the surface of concrete. In any of the above configurations, the metal detection sensor can be moved smoothly along the concrete surface, improving workability. Furthermore, by not bringing the metal detection sensor into direct contact with the concrete, the durability of the metal detection sensor can be improved.

[0121] (C) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the detection result of the reinforcing bar W1 by the metal detection sensor 20 is notified by turning on three colors of light, namely green, yellow, and red. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0122] For example, the detection result of the metal detection sensor may be notified by other means such as text information, audio information, etc., in addition to the means of displaying the result with lights of different colors as in the above embodiment. In addition, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which three colors of light are used to notify the approach (presence) of metal. However, for example, two colors or four or more colors of light may be used to notify the approach of metal.

[0123] (D) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the detection result of the reinforcing bar W1 by the metal detection sensor 20 is notified by lighting up the eight LEDs 24b with lights of different colors. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the display unit that emits light is not limited to eight LEDs, but may use seven or fewer LEDs, or nine or more LEDs, or may use a light source other than LEDs.

[0124] (E) In the above embodiment, an example was given of a method for detecting reinforcing bars contained in concrete using an induction-type metal detection sensor that detects the impedance of a detection coil that changes due to eddy currents generated in a metal when the metal approaches a magnetic field generated by passing a current through a coil included in a sensor unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, metal detection sensors that employ other methods, such as a capacitance type that detects changes in capacitance that occur between the metal being detected and the sensor, or a high-frequency oscillation type that detects non-metals such as aluminum, may be used.

[0125] (F) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the presence or absence of the reinforcing bar W1 is detected by detecting a change in impedance of the wire-wound coil 22b wound around the sensor unit 22. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a patterned coil may be used instead of a wound coil to detect changes in impedance and thus detect metal.

[0126] (G) In the above embodiment, the initialization process of the detection result by the metal detection sensor 20 is described by way of example in which the initialization process is performed by detecting the attitude of the electric gripping tool 10 and by pressing the reset switch 19. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0127] For example, the initialization process of the detection result by the metal detection sensor may be configured to enable only one of the above two controls, or the initialization process may be performed by a means other than the above two controls, such as a level gauge, etc. Furthermore, the position of the reset switch for performing the initialization process is not limited to the position described in the above embodiment, and the reset switch may be provided at another position on the electric grip tool or the metal detection sensor.

[0128] (H) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the metal detection sensor 20 is used in a state in which it is detachable from the main body 11 of the electric gripping tool 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the metal detection sensor may be integrated with the main body of the electric grip tool in an undetachable manner.

[0129] (I) In the above embodiment, concrete with reinforcing bars embedded therein has been described as an example of an object to be machined using the electric gripping tool 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the tool may be an electric gripping tool that targets a wall material such as plasterboard and performs various processes while detecting metals contained inside the wall material. Similarly, the metal present within the target object is not limited to reinforcing bars, but may be other metal components such as frames and bolts.

[0130] (J) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a hammer drill as an example of an electric grip tool, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0131] For example, the electric grip tool to which the present invention is applied may be other electric grip tools such as an impact drill or a vibration drill. [Industrial Applicability]

[0132] The metal detection sensor of the present invention has the effect of being able to notify an operator of the presence or absence of metal inside an object such as concrete without coming into contact with the metal, and therefore can be widely applied to various types of work tools that perform work while detecting metal. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 10 Electric gripping tool 11 Main body 11a Gripping part 12 Control section 12a Trigger switch 13 Drive control unit 14 Motor (drive unit) 15 Signal Transmitter / Receiver 16 Attitude detection unit 17 Power supply section 17a Battery 18 Tip 18a Tip tool 19 Reset switch 20 Metal detection sensor 21 cases 21a Main body 21b Switch cover 22 Sensor section 22a Main body 22b Coil 23 Spacer 23a Main body 24 Display section 24a Substrate 24b LED 24c USB connector 25 Cover (mounting part) 25a Main body 25b Mode display surface 31 Detection signal acquisition unit 32 Judgment section 33 Storage section 34 Display control section 36 Signal transmitter / receiver (prohibition signal transmitter, permission signal transmitter) 37 Initialization processing section 40 Dust collector 41 Main body 42 Mounting part 43 Sensor mounting part 43a Suction port 43b opening 44 Arm section 46 Contact surface (contact part) 46a Lola 50 Battery 51 USB cable 52 Initialization switch 100 Electric gripping tools 101 Holder 101a Telescopic beam 101b Sensor holder 101c Fixed part 101d Harness opening 101e Grip fixing part 102 Bellows components 121 Metal detection sensor 121a Surface treatment section 122 Metal detection sensor 122a side 122b Sphere 123 Metal detection sensor 123a side 123b Roller section 200 Electric gripping tools 201 Holder 201b Sensor holder 202 Contact sensor (contact detection unit) 202a Spring 203 Evacuation mechanism 203a Wire W Concrete (object) W1 Reinforced concrete (metal)

Claims

1. A metal detection sensor that detects metal contained in an object and is detachably attached to an electric gripping tool that processes the object, A substantially annular main body portion; A mounting portion that is attached to a tip portion of the electric gripping tool; a detection signal acquiring unit that acquires a detection signal that changes depending on a detection intensity of the metal in the object; a determination unit that determines the presence or absence of the metal based on the acquisition result acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit; an indicator arranged toward an opening formed at the center of the substantially annular body and configured to illuminate a different light to indicate the presence or absence of the metal; a display control unit that controls the display unit to change a color of the light to be displayed on the display unit based on a result of the determination by the determination unit; Equipped with The opening formed at the center of the substantially annular body is provided as a working hole into which a tip tool attached to a tip of the electric grip tool is inserted. Metal detection sensor.

2. The electric grip tool further includes a prohibition signal transmission unit that transmits a drive prohibition signal to prohibit the electric grip tool from being driven when the determination unit determines that the electric grip tool contains metal.

2. The metal detection sensor according to claim 1.

3. The electric grip tool further includes an enable signal transmission unit that transmits a drive enable signal to enable the electric grip tool to be driven when the determination unit determines that the metal is not present.

3. The metal detection sensor according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The display control unit controls the display unit to emit auxiliary light that illuminates a portion to be processed by a tip tool that processes the object while the electric gripping tool is being driven. The metal detection sensor according to claim 1 .

5. The display control unit controls the display unit to irradiate white light as the auxiliary light.

5. The metal detection sensor according to claim 4.

6. The determination unit compares the result acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit with a predetermined threshold value to determine the presence or absence of the metal. The metal detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. a posture detection unit for detecting a posture of the electric gripping tool; an initialization processing unit that initializes a result acquired by the detection signal acquisition unit when the attitude detection unit detects that the electric grip tool has been placed in a predetermined attitude; Further comprising: The metal detection sensor according to claim 1 .

8. The electric gripping tool further includes a contact portion having a roller portion that contacts the object and rotates in the moving direction of the electric gripping tool while in contact with the object. The metal detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Further comprising a contact portion having a friction reducing portion that contacts the object and reduces friction generated between the contact portion and the object. The metal detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. Further comprising a contact detection unit that detects contact with the object. The metal detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The contact detection unit is a contact switch that transitions from an OFF state to an ON state when the contact detection unit contacts the object. The metal detection sensor according to claim 10.

12. A metal detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 11, a tip portion to which the metal detection sensor is attached; A drive unit that rotates and drives a tool tip that performs processing on the object; A drive control unit that controls the drive of the drive unit; An electric gripping tool comprising:

13. The electric gripping tool further includes a retraction mechanism that retracts the metal detection sensor from the tip end of the electric gripping tool when the contact detection unit detects that the metal detection sensor has contacted the object. The electric gripping tool according to claim 12.

14. The electric gripping tool further includes a dust collecting section for sucking in outside air around the tip of the electric gripping tool. The electric gripping tool according to claim 12.

15. The dust collection unit is detachable from the tip end of the electric gripping tool. The electric gripping tool according to claim 14.

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