Apparatus and method for coating pillar-shaped objects

Abstract

To provide a device and method, capable of efficiently and uniformly coating an outer peripheral surface of an existing columnar material over a vertical direction.SOLUTION: A coating device for a columnar material comprises: a coating unit (10) for coating a coating material on a surface of a columnar material; and transfer means (20, 40) equipped with the coating unit to transfer the coating unit in a vertical direction along the columnar material. The coating unit comprises: an annular coating material storage part having an opening in size corresponding to an outer diameter of the columnar material being a coating object and capable of storing the coating material; a coating material supply part having a plurality of coating material bottles comprising an on-off valve on a mouth part to supply the coating material to the coating material storage part; and driving means for opening / closing the on-off valve. The coating device is configured so that the whole thereof can be divided into a plurality of sections in a horizontal direction, and is also composed so that a packing which has an opening substantially of the same size as the outer diameter of the columnar material being the coating object and is formed with an elastic material, is provided on the bottom of the coating material storage part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating device for coating the outer surface of a columnar object, and more particularly to a technology useful for use in a coating device and coating method for coating the entire outer surface of an existing steel pipe column in the vertical direction, for example. [Background technology]

[0002] Previously, painting existing steel pipe poles standing outdoors was generally done manually using tools such as brushes, roller brushes, and paint guns using compressed air. This resulted in unevenness in the finish of the painted surface, and in some cases the expected film thickness could not be secured, leading to a shortened paint film life. In addition, when the surface to be painted was extensive, the work took a long time, placing a heavy burden on the workers. Examples of coating devices that coat the surface of cylindrical members, and coating devices and film forming devices that apply a layer-forming material to the outer peripheral surface of cylindrical members are described in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3, for example. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6236917 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5637625 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 5428573 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The coating devices described in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 are configured to vertically support the columnar member to be coated and form a coating film or layer on the outer peripheral surface by moving a donut-shaped container (paint tank) containing paint or coating liquid in an up and down direction. However, both devices are designed to coat relatively small parts such as fuser rollers that are part of image forming devices such as copiers, printers, and facsimiles, and the lower end of the columnar part to be coated is fixed and the upper end is supported by an arm or the like, and they are designed to be used indoors in a factory, etc.

[0005] Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to use it to paint the outer surface of an existing steel pipe pole that is erected outdoors and has a pole fitting attached to its upper end or is fixed to a beam or beam at its upper end. Also, since steel pipe poles are erected in places where it is difficult to secure sufficient working space, such as beside railway tracks or roads, it is desirable that the painting device can be installed in such places, but the inventions of the painting device described in Patent Documents 1, 2 and 3 do not take such problems into consideration. In particular, the painting equipment described in Patent Document 3 has a separate painting unit and paint tank, so if this invention is applied to a painting equipment for steel pipe columns, there is a problem that the equipment becomes complicated, difficult to handle, and difficult to work with.

[0006] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a painting device and a painting method that can efficiently and uniformly paint the outer surface of an existing pillar-shaped object in the vertical direction. Another object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-use painting device and painting method capable of painting the outer surface of columnar objects such as steel pipe poles that are erected in places where it is difficult to secure sufficient working space, such as beside railway tracks or roads. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a coating apparatus and a coating method which eliminate the need for an operator to work at the top of a columnar object to be coated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention relates to CylinderA columnar object coating device comprising a coating unit for coating a surface of a columnar object, and a transport means for mounting the coating unit and transporting the coating unit in a vertical direction along the columnar object, The coating unit includes an annular coating material storage section having an opening corresponding to an outer diameter of a columnar object to be coated and capable of storing coating material, a coating material supply section having a plurality of coating material bottles each having an opening valve at an opening portion thereof and supplying coating material to the coating material storage section, and a driving means for opening and closing the opening and closing valve, and the coating material storage section is configured so that the entire unit can be divided into a plurality of sections in the horizontal direction; The paint reservoir is configured so that a packing made of an elastic material is provided at the bottom thereof and has an opening having a size substantially the same as the outer diameter of the columnar object to be coated.

[0008] According to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to efficiently and uniformly paint the outer peripheral surface of a columnar object such as an existing steel pipe column in the vertical direction, and since the entire painting unit is configured to be divisible into several parts in the horizontal direction, the painting device can be attached to the lower end of the steel pipe column, i.e., the column to be painted, during ground work, and excellent workability is achieved. In addition, since a packing made of an elastic material and having an opening of approximately the same size as the outer diameter of the columnar object to be painted is provided at the bottom of the paint reservoir, it is possible to prevent the paint in the paint reservoir from flowing down along the outer peripheral surface of the columnar object.

[0009] Here, preferably, the painting unit includes a plurality of bottle holders for holding the paint bottles on the outside of the paint storage section, A protrusion is provided on the bottom of the bottle holding portion against which a rod for opening and closing the on-off valve of the paint bottle can abut, and the on-off valve is opened and closed by moving the paint bottle up and down by the driving means.

[0010] According to the above-mentioned configuration, since the valve is opened and closed in response to the paint bottle being moved up and down by the driving means, the driving means can be operated with the painting unit positioned at the top end of the columnar object, eliminating the need for an operator to work at the top of the columnar object to be painted, and thus improving workability. Also, since the bottom of the bottle holding part is provided with a protrusion against which a rod that opens and closes the on-off valve of the paint bottle can abut, the liquid level of the paint in the paint storage part can be maintained constant.

[0011] Preferably, the paint bottle and the paint storage section are provided at four corners of a rectangular frame of the painting unit, The paint bottles are paired in pairs and supported by two horizontal support members, respectively, and two driving means are provided corresponding to the two horizontal support members, so that the two paint bottles are moved up and down by one driving means. According to this configuration, two paint bottles can be moved up and down by one driving means, so that the number of driving means can be reduced and the device can be made compact.

[0012] Preferably, the paint reservoir is provided with two semi-cylindrical air bubble removing filters in a top view, arranged side by side so as to surround the opening. According to this configuration, air bubbles contained in the paint can be removed by the filter, thereby improving the finish of the paint film on the outer peripheral surface of the steel pipe column.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that a cylindrical partition wall having a slit at the lower part through which paint can pass and forming the inner wall of the paint storage section is provided between the filter and the opening, and that a plurality of protrusions are formed at a predetermined interval on the inner surface of the partition wall in the circumferential direction. According to this configuration, when a partition is provided to form the inner wall of the paint storage section, a plurality of protrusions formed on the inner surface of the partition can maintain a predetermined distance between the partition and the outer surface of the steel pipe column, thereby preventing the partition from coming into contact with the steel pipe column during movement.

[0014] Further, preferably, the pillar-shaped object is a pillar made of a magnetic material, The transport means is a transport unit that has a plurality of magnet wheels that can roll along the outer periphery of the columnar object and a rotary drive source that rotates the magnet wheels, which are arranged at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction, and the entire unit can be divided into two horizontally, with the painting unit being able to be placed on the upper part. With this configuration, since the painting device is equipped with a transport unit having a magnetic wheel and a rotational drive source, a self-propelled painting device can be constructed, and painting can be performed on the outer surface of a columnar object such as a steel pipe pillar that is erected in a place where it is difficult to secure sufficient working space, such as next to a railway track or next to a road.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for coating a columnar object using the coating apparatus configured as described above, comprising the steps of: moving the painting unit upward along an outer periphery of the columnar object; activating the drive means to open the on-off valve; a step of coating an outer peripheral surface of the columnar object while moving the coating unit downward along the outer peripheral surface of the columnar object with the on-off valve in an open state; The above is included. According to the above-described method, it is possible to efficiently and uniformly paint the outer surface of a columnar object such as an existing steel pipe column in the vertical direction, and it is no longer necessary for workers to use a ladder or the like to open an on-off valve above the columnar object, making it possible to carry out the work safely.

[0016] Alternatively, in a method for coating a columnar object using the coating apparatus configured as described above, Attaching the transfer unit to a lower end of a column; a step of attaching the coating unit to a lower end of the columnar object while the coating unit is placed on the transport unit; a step of operating the rotary drive source to rotate the magnet wheel and move the transport unit and the painting unit upward along an outer periphery of the columnar object; activating the drive means to open the on-off valve; a step of operating the rotary drive source while keeping the on-off valve open to rotate the magnet wheel in a reverse direction and moving the transport unit and the coating unit downward along the outer periphery of the columnar object, thereby coating the outer periphery of the columnar object; Make sure to include: This makes it possible to smoothly paint the outer surface of columnar objects such as steel pipe poles that are erected in places where it is difficult to secure sufficient working space, such as beside railway tracks or roads.

[0017] Also, preferably, after the step of painting the outer peripheral surface of the columnar object, removing residual paint from the paint reservoir; a step of dividing the transport unit and removing the transport unit from the outer periphery of the columnar object while supporting the painting unit so that the weight of the painting unit is not applied to the transport unit; A step of dividing the painting unit and removing it from the outer periphery of the columnar object; The following will be implemented. According to this method, damage to the components constituting the coating device can be avoided when the coating device is removed from the columnar object. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the coating device of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently and uniformly coat the outer surface of an existing columnar object in the vertical direction. It is also possible to realize a coating device and coating method with good workability that can coat the outer surface of a columnar object such as a steel pipe pole erected in a place where it is difficult to secure sufficient work space, such as beside a railway track or a road. It is also possible to realize a coating device and coating method that does not require an operator to work on the upper part of the columnar object to be painted. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a coating device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B show a detailed configuration of a coating unit constituting the coating apparatus according to the embodiment, in which FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a detailed configuration of a coating unit constituting the coating device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A shows a detailed configuration of the main parts of the painting unit, with FIG. 1A being an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower part of the paint bottle, and FIG. 1B being a perspective view showing the details of the paint bottle holder. [Diagram 5] 1A, 1B, and 1C are diagrams showing a detailed configuration of a transfer unit constituting the coating apparatus according to the embodiment, in which FIG. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B show a detailed configuration of a transfer unit that constitutes a coating apparatus according to an embodiment, in which (A) is a perspective view of one of the divided units, and (B) is a front view showing the internal configuration thereof. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a detailed configuration of a drive unit of the transport unit. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure of a transfer unit in the coating apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure for a coating unit in the coating apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a side view showing the painting of a steel pipe column using a modified column-shaped object painting device that uses a winch and a wire rope as a transport means. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a columnar object coating device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a columnar object coating device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The painting equipment of this embodiment is composed of a painting unit 10 which has a paint tank inside for storing paint and applies paint to the outer surface of a steel pipe column as the column-shaped object to be painted, and a transport unit 20 which is joined and connected to the lower part of the painting unit 10 and runs up and down along the steel pipe column while supporting the weight of the painting unit 10.

[0021] As will be explained in detail later, the painting unit 10 and the transport unit 20 are both formed so as to have a circular opening on the inside through which a steel pipe column can be inserted, and the two are configured so that they can be joined by placing the painting unit 10 on the upper surface of the transport unit 20. In addition, the painting unit 10 and the transport unit 20 are each configured to be separable into two parts so that they can be attached to the outer surface of the steel pipe pole at the lower end of the steel pipe pole to be painted, i.e., near the ground, and connecting means 31 and 32 consisting of latch-type fasteners (snap locks) are provided near the separation joint portions on the outer surface of each unit.

[0022] 2 to 4 show the details of the configuration of the painting unit 10. As shown in FIG. 2(A), the painting unit 10 in this embodiment includes a frame 11 having a rectangular outer shape in top view with a circular opening 11a in the center through which a steel pipe column can be inserted, and a cylindrical paint tank partition wall 12 arranged along the edge of the inner opening 11a and fixed to the frame 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the painting unit 10 includes a mesh filter 13A (13B) for removing bubbles arranged on the outside of the paint tank partition wall 12 so as to be bent in a bellows shape and to form a semi-cylinder as a whole in top view. The mesh filter 13A (13B) is not limited to a bellows shape, and may be a straight cylindrical filter as a whole. Furthermore, a convex portion 11b and a concave portion 11c for positioning by engaging with each other are formed on the joint end surface of the frame 11.

[0023] 1, container holders 15A-15D having recessed spaces for holding the lower parts of the four paint bottles 14A-14D are provided at the four corners of the frame 11, and arc-shaped paint tank outer walls 16A-16D are provided to surround the outside of the container holders 15A-15D, as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 4(B). A paint storage space is formed from the container holders 15A-15D on the outside of the paint tank partition wall 12 to the paint tank outer walls 16A-16D, and the mesh filters 13A, 13B are stored in the paint storage space on the inside of the container holders 15A-15D.

[0024] Furthermore, a plurality of slits 12a through which paint leaks out toward the opening 11a are formed in the lower part of the paint tank partition 12. The diameter of the paint tank partition 12 is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the steel pipe column to be painted, and a plurality of protrusions 12b (six in this embodiment) are provided at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface of the paint tank partition 12 to keep the outline of the paint tank partition 12 constant with the outer peripheral surface of the steel pipe column. Although the paint tank partition 12 is provided in this embodiment, the paint tank partition 12 may be omitted and the outer peripheral surface of the steel pipe column may form the inner wall of the paint storage section.

[0025] 3, a semi-annular packing 17 made of a rubber-like elastic material and having an opening with a diameter equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the steel pipe pole is joined to the lower part of the frame 11 along the edge of the opening 11a. The inner end (edge) of the opening of the packing 17 comes into contact with the outer periphery of the steel pipe pole to eliminate gaps, and the paint flowing out from the slit 12a at the lower part of the paint tank partition 12 is stored between the paint tank partition 12 and the outer periphery of the steel pipe pole, so that a coating film can be formed on the outer periphery of the steel pipe pole by moving the painting unit 10 downward. The packing 17 is configured to overlap the other packing vertically at the joint end to prevent paint from leaking.

[0026] 1, the four paint bottles 14A-14D held by the container holders 15A-15D are connected to each other by horizontal support members 18A, 18B each having a double-ring shaped bottle holder H1, H2 at both ends, with two paint bottles 14A and 14D, and two paint bottles 14B and 14C, respectively. Furthermore, the support members 18A, 18B are connected at their middle parts to actuators 19A, 19B erected on the edge of the frame 11, and are configured to be movable in the vertical direction in response to the vertical movement of the support members 18A, 18B by the actuators 19A, 19B.

[0027] The actuators 19A and 19B are electrically powered, and power is supplied via a connection cable provided between the transfer unit 20 and the painting unit 10. Batteries serving as power sources may be provided at locations indicated by symbols B1 and B2 near the actuators 19A and 19B. Pin insertion holes 19a for inserting connecting pins are formed at the bottom of the actuators 19A and 19B. The pin insertion holes 19a are provided at six locations in total at appropriate intervals, not just at the bottom of the actuators 19A and 19B.

[0028] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 4(A), the paint bottles 14A to 14D are provided with a push-type opening / closing valve 14a on the cap that closes the mouth, and are installed in the container holders 15A to 15D with the mouth facing down. In addition, as shown in Fig. 4(B), an upward protrusion 15a is provided at the center of the bottom of the container holders 15A to 15D. When the paint bottles 14A to 14D are installed upside down in the container holders 15A to 15D, the end of the rod 14b of the opening / closing valve 14a abuts against the protrusion 15a. In this state, when the actuators 19A and 19B are operated to lower the paint bottles 14A to 14D, the end of the rod 14b of the opening / closing valve 14a is pushed by the protrusion 15a, opening the valve in the cap, and the paint inside flows out to the paint tank side. 15b is a guide piece of the paint bottle.

[0029] 4(A), paint bottles 14A-14D are set so that their mouths are a predetermined height higher than the bottoms of container holding parts 15A-15D when placed in container holding parts 15A-15D. As a result, when the liquid level LS of the paint flowing out from the inside reaches the height of the mouths of container holding parts 15A-15D, the paint stops flowing out, and when the paint in the paint tank decreases as the painting progresses and the paint liquid level LS drops, the paint inside starts to flow out again, and this is repeated, so that the paint liquid level LS is automatically maintained at a constant height.

[0030] As described above, in the coating device of this embodiment, the paint bottles 14A-14D are arranged around the paint tank of the coating unit 10 and are raised and lowered together with the tank, so there is no need for hoses connecting the coating unit and the paint tank, which are required in a system in which the coating unit and the paint tank (paint bottles) are provided separately, as in the coating device described in Patent Document 3, and so there is an advantage in that the device is easy to handle. In addition, since the paint bottles are provided separately in multiple pieces (four in the figure), there is an advantage in that paint can be supplied evenly into the paint tank even if the paint has a somewhat high viscosity.

[0031] 5 to 7 show the details of the configuration of the transfer unit 20. 5, the transfer unit 20 in this embodiment includes a cylindrical main body frame 21 having an opening 21a inside through which a steel pipe column can be inserted, magnet wheels 22A-22D rotatably provided at four locations on the inner circumferential surface of the main body frame 21, motors 23A-23D that rotate the magnet wheels 22A-22D, respectively, timing belts 24A-24D that transmit the rotational force of the motors 23A-23D to the magnet wheels 22A-22D, and a pair of auxiliary rollers 25A, 25B. The magnet wheels 22A-22D and the auxiliary rollers 25A, 25B are both rotatably provided around a horizontal axis.

[0032] 7, the magnet wheels 22A to 22D, the motors 23A to 23D, and the timing belts 24A to 24D are unitized as drive units and are respectively fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the main body frame 21. Although not shown, the drive units are provided with a brake function. Furthermore, the main body frame 21 is configured to be separable into two as shown in FIG. 6(A), and each mating surface is formed with a protrusion 21b and a receiving groove 21c for positioning by engaging with each other, and is provided with fastening means 32a, 32b consisting of latch-type fasteners as shown in FIG. 5(B). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5(A), covers 26A to 26D that cover the drive units are attached to the outer peripheral surface of the main body frame 21 in correspondence with the drive units, and handles 27A to 27D that can be used when carrying the unit are provided on the covers 26A to 26D, respectively.

[0033] Connectors 28A-28D for connecting power cables and control signal cables are provided on the side surfaces of the covers 26A-26D. A power supply device for supplying power to the motors 23A-23D is installed on the ground side, and power is supplied to the motors via the power cables. A remote control controller for giving commands to the motor drivers is connected to the other end of the control signal cables. The coating device of this embodiment is configured to be operated by remote control. Although not shown, the transport unit 20 is provided with a control device that receives commands from the remote control controller and generates control signals for operating the motor driver. The actuators of the painting unit 10 are also controlled by this control device. A connection cable is provided between the transport unit 20 and the painting unit 10, and a control signal from the control device is sent to the painting unit 10 via this connection cable.

[0034] Furthermore, a protruding piece 21d that protrudes upward and has a circular shape in a top view is provided on the upper part of the main body frame 21, and a plurality of pin insertion holes 21e are formed at predetermined intervals in this protruding piece 21d. The pin insertion holes 21e are provided corresponding to the pin insertion holes 19a on the coating unit 10 side, and after aligning these pin insertion holes 19a and 21e, as shown in Fig. 1, the coating unit 10 and the transfer unit 20 are connected to each other by inserting a connecting pin 33.

[0035] As described above, the painting equipment in this embodiment is equipped with magnet wheels 22A-22D and motors 23A-23D which rotate and drive these, and therefore can be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the steel pipe column and can move up and down along the outer circumferential surface of the steel pipe column while supporting the weight of the painting unit 10 and the transport unit 20. In addition, since the painting unit 10 has a packing, painting cannot be performed while ascending, so it is better to first raise the device and then paint while descending, but to do this, it is necessary to open the valve of the paint bottle while the device is raised to the top end of the steel pipe pole and fill the paint tank with paint. In the painting device of this embodiment, the painting unit 10 is equipped with an actuator and is configured to open the valve by operating the actuator to move the paint bottle downward, so there is an advantage in that workability is improved since there is no need for an operator to move to the top end of the steel pipe pole to open the valve.

[0036] Next, a specific procedure for painting a steel pipe pole using the painting device of the above embodiment and a control procedure by the control device of the painting device will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. In the above embodiment, the actuator of the painting unit 10 and the motor of the transport unit 20 are configured to be controlled by a common control device, but for convenience of illustrating the flow chart, the following description will be given assuming that they are controlled by separate control devices.

[0037] To paint the outer peripheral surface of a steel pipe pole, the painting equipment (painting unit 10 and transport unit 20) is carried to the vicinity of the steel pipe pole to be painted, the transport unit 20 in its two-part state is attached to the outer periphery of the lower end of the steel pipe pole and the latch-type connecting means 32a, 32b are operated to unite them together, and then the painting unit 10 in its two-part state is placed on the transport unit 20 and united by the latch-type connecting means 31. Next, the connecting pin 33 is inserted to connect the painting unit 10 and the transport unit 20, and then the power cable and the control signal cable are connected to the painting unit 10 and the transport unit 20, and the power switch of the control device of the painting equipment is turned on.

[0038] When the power switch of the control device of the transfer unit 20 is turned on, processing according to the control flow shown in Fig. 8 is started, and first it is determined whether the connection of the power cable and the control signal cable is complete (step S1). If it is determined that the cable connection is complete (YES), the process proceeds to step S2, where it is determined whether the emergency stop button has been pressed (step S2). If it is determined that the emergency stop button has not been pressed (NO), the process proceeds to step S3, where the process waits for a command. In this state, when a "raise device" command is input from the remote control controller (step S4), the process proceeds to step S5 to determine whether the device is descending or not, and if it is determined that the device is not descending (NO), the process proceeds to step S6, where the brake is released and the motor is rotated forward (or reverse) to raise the coating device at a speed of, for example, 1.0 m per minute.

[0039] On the other hand, when a "lower device" command is input from the remote control controller in step S3 (step S7), the process proceeds to step S8 to determine whether the device is ascending or not, and if it is determined that the device is not ascending (NO), the process proceeds to step S9 to release the brake and reverse (or forward) the motor to lower the painting device at a speed of, for example, 0.5 m per minute. If there is paint in the paint tank of the painting unit 10, the paint will be applied to the outer circumferential surface of the steel pipe pole during this lowering operation. Furthermore, when a "release brake" command is input from the remote control controller in step S3 (step S10), the process proceeds to step S11 to release the brake. This brake release command is provided so that the device can be detached from the steel pipe pole and recovered, for example, if a problem occurs at a location other than the designated brake activation location.

[0040] When the power switch of the control device of the painting unit 10 is turned on, processing according to the control flow shown in Fig. 9 is started, and first it is determined whether the connection of the power cable and the control signal cable is complete (step S21). If it is determined that the cable connection is complete (YES), the process proceeds to step S22 and the device waits for commands. In this state, when a "Raise paint bottle" command is input from the remote control controller (step S23), the process proceeds to step S24 to determine whether the paint bottle is being lowered, and if it is determined that the paint bottle is not being lowered (NO), the process proceeds to step S25 to operate the actuator to raise the paint bottle.

[0041] Then, it is determined whether the paint bottle has reached the upper limit position (step S26), and if it is determined that the paint bottle has reached the upper limit position (YES), the process proceeds to step S27 to stop the paint bottle. When the paint bottle reaches the upper limit position, the sensor detects it and an upper limit position lamp provided in the unit is turned on.

[0042] On the other hand, when a "paint bottle lower" command is input from the remote control controller in the command waiting state of step S22 (step S28), the process proceeds to step S29 to determine whether the paint bottle is rising, and if it is determined that the paint bottle is not rising (NO), the actuator is operated to lower the paint bottle. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S31 to determine whether the paint bottle has reached the lower limit position, and if it is determined that the paint bottle has reached the lower limit position (YES), the process proceeds to step S32 to stop the paint bottle. Then, when the paint bottle reaches the lower limit position, it is detected by a sensor and a lower limit position lamp provided in the unit is turned on.

[0043] The "paint bottle lowering" command is executed when the coating device raising process in steps S4 to S6 in Fig. 8 is completed and the coating device is located at the top end of the steel pipe pole. Then, after the descent of the paint bottle is stopped in step S32, a predetermined time has elapsed, that is, the paint tank of the coating unit 10 is filled with a predetermined amount of paint, and then the "device lowering" command is issued. On the other hand, the "Raise Paint Bottle" command is executed when the painting device lowering process (painting process) of steps S7 to S9 in Figure 8 is completed and the painting device is positioned at the bottom end of the steel pipe column, thereby closing the opening / closing valve provided on the cap of the paint bottle.

[0044] Furthermore, when the application of paint to the outer circumferential surface of the steel pipe pole is completed by the above-mentioned procedure and the painting device is removed from the steel pipe pole, the paint bottle is removed from the painting unit 10, and the paint remaining in the paint tank is sucked up and removed by a suction machine. After that, while the painting unit 10 is held by hand by an operator, another operator pulls out the connecting pin 33 to release the connection between the painting unit 10 and the transport unit 20. Then, while the painting unit 10 is held to the steel pipe pole by the magnet, the connecting means 32a, 32b of the transport unit 20 are operated to release the latch, and the transport unit 20 is separated and removed from the steel pipe pole. After that, the connecting means 32a, 32b of the painting unit 10 are operated to release the latch, and the painting unit 10 is separated and removed from the steel pipe pole.

[0045] Then, any upper and lower ends of the steel pipe column that were not painted by the painting device of this embodiment are painted manually using tools such as a paint brush, roller brush, or a painting gun that uses compressed air to complete the work. In addition, since various types of pole fittings, from small to large, are attached to existing steel pipe poles, it is possible to remove the small pole fittings before starting painting, leave the large pole fittings, such as brackets made of angle bars, attached to the steel pipe pole, and paint only the lower part using the above-mentioned painting device.Then, the part above the attachment point of the large pole fittings is painted manually using tools.

[0046] As described above, the coating device of this embodiment has the advantage that the coating unit 10 and the transport unit 20 are separable, making each unit lighter in weight and easier to handle. On the other hand, if the coating unit 10 and the transport unit 20 are separable, there is a risk that the components constituting the device will be damaged if the coating unit 10 is removed first from the steel pipe pole after the coating work is completed. In contrast, in the coating method of this embodiment, the transport unit 20 is removed first from the steel pipe pole, so that damage to the components constituting the device can be avoided.

[0047] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the number of paint bottles is four, but the number of paint bottles is not limited to four and may be any number. Also, in the above embodiment, the painting unit 10 and the transfer unit 20 are each configured to be divisible into two, but they may be configured to be divisible into three or four. The capacity of each paint bottle is set so that the total amount of all containers is slightly more than the amount required to coat the entire outer circumference of the steel pipe column.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the coating device is composed of the coating unit 10 and the transport unit 20, but instead of the transport unit 20 having a drive source, for example, as shown in Fig. 10, a transport frame 40 equipped with a guide roller 41 is prepared, a pulley 101 is attached to the upper end of a steel pipe pole C using a pole fixing band 102 or the like, a winch 103 is installed near the steel pipe pole C, and an end of a wire rope 104 pulled out from the winch 103 is wound around the pulley 101 at the upper end of the steel pipe pole C and then pulled down and engaged with an engagement portion (eye bolt) provided on the transport frame 40. Then, the coating unit 10 placed on the transport frame 40 may be raised and lowered by winding and loosening the wire rope 104 with the winch 103 installed on the ground to coat the outer periphery of the steel pipe pole.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the painting unit 10 and the transport unit 20 are each configured to be separable into two parts, but rather than being completely separated into two parts, they may be configured so that one of the joints can be opened using a hinge. In the above embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a coating device for steel pipe poles, but the present invention can also be used to coat poles other than steel pipe poles. Also, the pole to be coated is not limited to a circular pole, but may be a square pole. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 10 Painting unit 11 Frame 11a opening 11b Convex part 11c Recess 12 Paint tank bulkhead 13 Mesh Filter 14A~14D Paint bottle 14a On-off valve 14b Rod 15A~15D Container holding part 16A~16D Paint tank outer wall 17 Packing 18A, 18B Support member 19A, 19B Actuator 20 Transport Unit 21 Main frame 22A~22D Magnetic Wheels 23A~23D Motor (rotary drive source) 24A~24D Timing belt 25A, 25B Auxiliary roller 26A~26D Cover 27A~27D Handle 28A~28D Connectors 31, 32 Connection means (fasteners) 33 Connecting pin 40 Transport Frame 101 Pulley 102 Utility pole fixing band 103 Winch 104 Wire Rope

Claims

1. A coating device for a columnar object, comprising: a coating unit for coating a surface of a columnar object that is a cylinder; and a transport means for mounting the coating unit and transporting the coating unit in a vertical direction along the columnar object, The coating unit includes an annular coating material storage section having an opening corresponding to an outer diameter of a columnar object to be coated and capable of storing coating material, a coating material supply section having a plurality of coating material bottles each having an opening valve at an opening portion thereof and supplying coating material to the coating material storage section, and a driving means for opening and closing the opening and closing valve, and the coating material storage section is configured so that the entire unit can be divided into a plurality of sections in the horizontal direction; A columnar object coating device characterized in that a gasket made of an elastic material is provided at the bottom of the paint storage section and has an opening approximately the same size as the outer diameter of the columnar object to be coated.

2. The painting unit includes a plurality of bottle holders that hold the paint bottles on the outside of the paint storage unit, The columnar object painting device described in claim 1, characterized in that a protrusion is provided on the bottom of the bottle holding portion against which a rod for opening and closing the on-off valve of the paint bottle can abut, and the on-off valve is opened and closed by moving the paint bottle up and down by the driving means.

3. The paint bottle and the paint storage section are provided at four corners of a rectangular frame of the painting unit, A columnar object painting device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the paint bottles are paired in pairs and supported by two horizontal support members, two driving means are provided corresponding to the two horizontal support members, and the two paint bottles are moved up and down by one driving means.

4. A columnar object coating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the paint storage section has two semi-cylindrical air bubble removal filters arranged in line surrounding the opening when viewed from above.

5. A columnar object coating device as described in claim 4, characterized in that a cylindrical partition wall is provided between the filter and the opening, the partition wall having a slit at the bottom through which paint can pass and forming the inner wall of the paint storage section, and the inner surface of the partition wall has a plurality of protrusions formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

6. The pillar-shaped object is a pillar made of a magnetic material, The columnar object coating device described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transport means is a transport unit which has a plurality of magnet wheels capable of rolling along the outer periphery of the columnar object and a rotary drive source which rotates the magnet wheels, which are arranged at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction, and which can be divided into two horizontally as a whole and on which the coating unit can be placed.

7. A method for coating a columnar object using the columnar object coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, moving the painting unit upward along an outer periphery of the columnar object; activating the drive means to open the on-off valve; a step of coating an outer peripheral surface of the columnar object while moving the coating unit downward along the outer peripheral surface of the columnar object with the on-off valve in an open state; A method for coating a columnar object, comprising:

8. A method for coating a columnar object using the columnar object coating device according to claim 6, Attaching the transfer unit to a lower end of a column; a step of attaching the coating unit to a lower end of the columnar object while the coating unit is placed on the transport unit; a step of operating the rotary drive source to rotate the magnet wheel and move the transport unit and the painting unit upward along an outer periphery of the columnar object; activating the drive means to open the on-off valve; a step of operating the rotary drive source while keeping the on-off valve open to rotate the magnet wheel in a reverse direction and moving the transport unit and the coating unit downward along the outer periphery of the columnar object, thereby coating the outer periphery of the columnar object; A method for coating a columnar object, comprising:

9. After the step of painting the outer peripheral surface of the columnar object, removing residual paint from the paint reservoir; a step of dividing the transport unit and removing the transport unit from the outer periphery of the columnar object while supporting the painting unit so that the weight of the painting unit is not applied to the transport unit; A step of dividing the painting unit and removing it from the outer periphery of the columnar object; 9. The method for coating a pillar-shaped object according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

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