Primer Coating Equipment

Abstract

To provide a device capable of coating a primer to joints of an outer wall with a simpler configuration.SOLUTION: A primer coating device comprises: a primer coating unit where a coating member is provided at a tip of a first support body and a primer composition is supplied to the coating member; a cleaning unit where a cleaning member is provided at a tip of a second support body and a cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning member; a main body that supports the primer coating unit and the cleaning unit; and a drive unit that moves the main body to a vertical direction in a state of being suspended on a wall surface of a structure. The primer coating unit includes a first drive mechanism that drives the first support body back and forth so that a position of the coating member is displaced between a first standby position apart from the wall surface and a first work position where the coating member is inserted into a joint of the wall surface. The cleaning unit includes a second drive mechanism that drives the second support body back and forth so that a position of the cleaning member is displaced between a second standby position apart from the wall surface and a second work position where the cleaning member is inserted into the joint of the wall surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a primer application device used in the construction of exterior walls of buildings. [Background technology]

[0002] When constructing the exterior walls of a building using the curtain wall method, it is necessary to apply a primer to the joints formed at the joints of the exterior wall panels and fill them with a sealant. When performing such work manually, it is necessary to erect scaffolding on the exterior wall or suspend a gondola. In response to this, an automated device has been disclosed that is equipped with a device for supplying primer and sealant on a stand corresponding to the height of the building and that can travel up and down on a lifting rail in order to automatically seal the joints of the exterior wall (see Patent Document 1). Also disclosed is a sealant filling device in which a sealing means is provided on a moving part that moves along a rail that extends in the vertical direction along the exterior wall (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-268973 [Patent Document 2] JP 2002-121889 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the automated sealing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires the installation of a platform of the same height on the outside of the building, which makes it difficult to adapt to taller buildings. In addition, the sealant filling device disclosed in Patent Document 2 also requires the installation of rails during construction, which requires labor. In addition, there is a problem that the sealant filling device cannot move smoothly if the rails are bent.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and has an object to provide an apparatus that can apply a primer to joints in an exterior wall with a simpler configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The primer application device according to the present invention includes a primer application unit having an application member provided at the tip of a first support and supplying a primer composition to the application member, a cleaning unit having a cleaning member provided at the tip of a second support and supplying a cleaning liquid to the cleaning member, a main body supporting the primer application unit and the cleaning unit, and a drive unit for vertically moving the main body while suspended from a wall surface of a building. The primer application unit includes a first drive mechanism for driving the first support back and forth so as to displace the position of the application member between a first standby position away from the wall surface and a first working position for inserting the application member into a joint in the wall surface, and the cleaning unit includes a second drive mechanism for driving the second support back and forth so as to displace the position of the cleaning member between a second standby position away from the wall surface and a second working position for inserting the cleaning member into a joint in the wall surface.

[0007] In the present invention, the primer application unit and the cleaning unit may be suspended so as to be swingable and displaceable in the horizontal direction, and the first support and the second support may be provided with arc-shaped guides at their tips. The application member and the cleaning member may be made of a melamine sponge and a flannel material covering the melamine sponge.

[0008] In the present invention, the main body may be provided with casters that contact the wall surface, and the main body may be provided with suction means that exerts a suction force on the wall surface to stabilize the main body so that it does not separate from the wall surface. The suction means may be disposed to face the wall surface with a gap therebetween. The suction means may be a magnet. The main body may be provided with a first displacement sensor for detecting the upper end and a second displacement sensor for detecting the lower end.

[0009] In the present invention, the drive unit of the primer application device may include a winch, a wire wound around the winch, and a pulley around which the wire is hung at the upper end of the building, and the main body may be configured to be suspended by the wire. The cleaning unit is preferably disposed below the primer application unit, and the main body may be provided with a guide for adjusting the positions of the primer application unit and the cleaning unit along the joints of the wall surface. With the main body suspended from the building, it may move from the top to the bottom of the wall surface, and cleaning of the joints by the cleaning unit and application of primer by the primer application unit may be performed continuously.

[0010] In the present invention, the primer application unit may be composed of two first supports that rotate about a fulcrum, an application member is provided at each of the application points of the two first supports, and the distance between the two application members may be made variable.The primer application unit may be composed of two first supports that move horizontally, an application member is provided at each of the application points of the two first supports, and the distance between the two application members may be made variable. Effect of the Invention

[0011] The primer application device of the present invention has a primer application unit and a cleaning unit attached to the main body, and operation can be performed with the main body suspended from the exterior wall by the drive unit, so there is no need to install rails or the like in advance, and operation can be performed with a simple configuration. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a primer coating device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a primer coating device according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a primer coating device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a top view showing a configuration of a primer coating device according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] 4 is a perspective view showing a mounting structure of a primer coating unit and a cleaning unit in the primer coating device according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 6] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing the configuration of an applicator member in a primer applicator according to the present invention, where (A) is a top view, (B) is a front view, and (C) shows the state in which the applicator member is inserted into a joint. [Figure 7] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the operation of a primer application unit in a primer application device according to the present invention, where FIG. 5A shows a case where the application member is in a standby position, and FIG. 5B shows a case where the application member is in a working position. [Figure 8] 1A is a top view showing the configuration of a primer application unit in a primer application device according to the present invention, where (A) shows the state before the primer application unit is inserted into a joint, (B) shows the state after the primer application unit has been inserted into a joint, and (C) shows a front view of the application member. [Figure 9] 1A to 1C are diagrams for explaining the operation of a primer application unit in a primer application device according to the present invention, and show variations when the operation is controlled using a cam on the side of the force point. [Figure 10] 1A is a top view showing the configuration of a primer application unit in a primer application device according to the present invention, where (A) shows the state before the primer application unit is inserted into a joint, and (B) shows the state after the primer application unit has been inserted into the joint. [Figure 11] 2 shows a functional configuration of a primer application device according to the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is an operational flow diagram of the primer coating device according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different aspects, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below. In the drawings, the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part may be shown schematically compared to the actual aspect in order to make the explanation clearer, but it is merely an example and does not limit the interpretation of the present invention. In this specification and each figure, elements similar to those described above with respect to the previous figures may be given the same reference numerals (or reference numerals with a, b, etc. added after the numerals) and detailed explanations may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the letters "first" and "second" added to each element are convenient marks used to distinguish each element, and have no further meaning unless otherwise explained.

[0014] Fig. 1 shows an overview of a primer application apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. The primer application apparatus 100 includes a primer application unit 106 and a cleaning unit 108 provided in a main body 102, and a drive unit 104. Fig. 1 shows a schematic configuration of the primer application apparatus 100 as viewed from the side, and in the figure, a schematic diagram of the main body 102 as viewed from the front of an exterior wall 200 of a building is shown as an inset.

[0015] The main body 102 is, for example, configured by a frame assembled into a box shape, and has a structure in which a part of the frame supports the primer coating unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108. The main body 102 is also configured by a housing capable of storing the primer coating unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108, and as described later, the tip portions of the primer coating unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 may be provided so as to protrude from the housing. The main body 102 is preferably provided with casters 1021 so as to be able to move smoothly up and down along the wall surface of the outer wall 200.

[0016] The drive unit 104 includes a winch 1041, a pulley 1042, and a wire 1043. The winch 1041 is used for winding up and down the wire 1043. The pulley 1042 is disposed on the upper side of the exterior wall 200 by a support 1044. The pulley 1042 may also be disposed above the exterior wall 200 while being suspended by a crane. The wire 1043 is looped around the pulley 1042 and connected to the main body 102. The wire 1043 is connected to the main body 102 by a connector 1022 provided on the upper part of the main body 102.

[0017] The winch 1041 is installed at a position lower than the pulley 1042. For example, the winch 1041 is installed on the ground. The winch 1041 may also be installed on the roof of a building. An electric motor or a hydraulic motor is used as a power source for the winch 1041. When the primer application device 100 performs an operation, the main body 102 is placed under the pulley 1042 and moves from the top to the bottom along the wall surface of the exterior wall 200 while being suspended by the wire 1043. The winch 1041 moves the main body 102 from the top to the bottom along the wall surface of the exterior wall 200 by winding down the wire 1043. Also, the main body 102 can be pulled up to the top of the exterior wall 200 by winding up the wire 1043 with the winch 1041. 1 shows one fixed pulley as pulley 1042, the configuration of pulley 1042 is not limited to this, and is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure as long as it is capable of driving main body 102 up and down along the wall surface of outer wall 200. For example, pulley 1042 may be an appropriate combination of a fixed pulley and a movable pulley. In addition, the winding up and down of winch 43 is not limited to what is called winch 1041, and other wire winding mechanisms may be used.

[0018] The primer application device 100 is used to apply a primer composition to a joint 202 of an exterior wall 200. The joint 202 is a vertical joint. As shown in the inset of FIG. 1, the main body 102 moves from top to bottom along the joint 202 while being suspended by a wire 1043. The primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 move along the joint 202 together with the main body 102. The work of the primer application device 100 is to clean the joint 202 and apply the primer composition. In the process of the primer application device 100 moving from top to bottom of the exterior wall 200 along the joint 202, the cleaning unit 108 cleans the joint 202, and the primer application unit 106 applies the primer composition to the joint 202. The cleaning unit 108 and the primer application unit 106 are arranged in series in the moving direction of the main body 102. By arranging the cleaning unit 108 and the primer application unit 106 in series one above the other, the primer application device 100 can continuously perform the operations of cleaning the joints 202 and applying the primer composition.

[0019] A detailed configuration of the primer coating apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Here, Figure 2 shows a front view of the primer coating apparatus 100, Figure 3 shows a side view of the same, and Figure 4 shows a top view of the same. In the following description, these figures will be referred to as appropriate.

[0020] 2 to 4 has a structure in which a main body 102 is assembled into a box shape by a plurality of frames. The main body 102 is provided with casters 1021 that are in contact with an exterior wall 200, suction means 110 that applies suction force to the exterior wall 200, a first displacement sensor 112 that detects the upper end (work start position) of the exterior wall 200, a second displacement sensor 113 that detects the lower end (work end position) of the exterior wall 200, a control panel 114, a first dispenser 116 that supplies a primer composition, a second dispenser 117 that supplies a cleaning liquid, a first container 118 that stores the primer composition, and a second container 119 that stores the cleaning liquid.

[0021] The casters 1021 are provided on the surface of the main body 102 facing the exterior wall 200. In order for the main body 102 to move smoothly on the wall surface of the exterior wall 200, it is preferable that the casters 1021 are provided at four locations, top, bottom, left, and right, of the main body 102. Similarly, the suction means 110 is provided on the surface of the main body 102 facing the exterior wall 200. When the primer application device 100 is in an operating state, the tip (application member 1061) of the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint of the exterior wall 200. At this time, a force acts due to a reaction that moves the main body 102 away from the exterior wall 200, so it is necessary to prevent the main body 102 from moving away from the exterior wall 200 and becoming unstable.

[0022] The suction means 110 is provided to prevent the main body 102 from moving away from the exterior wall 200. For example, the suction means 110 is attached to the frame of the main body 102 and arranged so as not to protrude beyond the tip of the caster 1021. In order to smoothly move the main body 102 along the wall surface of the exterior wall 200, it is preferable that the suction means 110 is attached to the frame so as to leave a gap between the main body 102 and the exterior wall 200. The suction means 110 may also be attached so as to slide on the surface of the exterior wall 200 to such an extent that it does not impede the movement of the main body 102. When the exterior wall 200 is formed of a ferromagnetic material such as a steel plate, a magnet can be used as the suction means 110. As the magnet, a permanent magnet or an electromagnet is used. Even when the exterior wall 200 is made of precast concrete, since reinforcing bars are included inside, a suction force can be applied by the suction means 110 using a magnet. The suction means 110 can utilize the suction force of a vacuum pump instead of a magnetic force.

[0023] The first displacement sensor 112 is provided on the upper part of the main body 102, and the second displacement sensor 113 is provided on the lower part of the main body 102. The first displacement sensor 112 is provided to measure the distance from the mounting position of the main body 102 to the outer wall 200. The second displacement sensor 113 is provided to measure the distance from the mounting position of the main body 102 to the ground. For example, optical displacement sensors are used as the first displacement sensor 112 and the second displacement sensor 113. For example, laser displacement sensors are used as the first displacement sensor 112 and the second displacement sensor 113.

[0024] The first displacement sensor 112 and the second displacement sensor 113 are provided to detect the start and end points of work by the primer coating device 100. The first displacement sensor 112 is provided to enable the main body 102 to detect the upper end (work start point) of the exterior wall 200. When the main body 102 does not reach the upper end of the exterior wall 200, the first displacement sensor 112 measures the distance from the main body 102 to the exterior wall 200. The distance from the first displacement sensor 112 (frame part of the main body 102) to the exterior wall 200 is kept constant by the caster 1021 abutting against the exterior wall 200. At this time, the distance measured by the first displacement sensor 112 is constant or within a specified range.

[0025] The first displacement sensor 112 is provided at a high position on the main body 102 (a position higher than the upper caster 1021). With this arrangement, when the main body 102 reaches the upper end of the exterior wall 200, the first displacement sensor 112 does not measure the distance to the exterior wall 200, and the value measured by the first displacement sensor 112 changes significantly. In other words, when the main body 102 reaches the upper end of the exterior wall 200, the measurement value of the first displacement sensor 112 changes significantly from a preset value, so that it is possible to detect that the main body 102 has reached the upper end of the exterior wall 200.

[0026] The second displacement sensor 113 measures the distance from the attachment position of the main body 102 to the ground. When the main body 102 is at the bottom end of the exterior wall 200 (the end point of the work), the distance measured by the second displacement sensor 113 is the distance from the main body 102 to the ground, and this distance can be known as a preset value. When the main body 102 is in a state where it is pulled up by the drive unit 104, the distance measured by the second displacement sensor 113 becomes greater than the preset value. Therefore, by comparing the measurement value of the second displacement sensor 113 with the preset value, it can be determined whether the main body 102 has reached the bottom end.

[0027] The first displacement sensor 112 and the second displacement sensor 113 that detect the position of the main body 102 are not limited to laser displacement sensors, and other detection means having similar functions may be used. For example, the laser displacement sensor may be replaced with a displacement sensor using an imaging element.

[0028] The control panel 114 is provided on the rear surface of the main body 102 (the side opposite to the surface facing the outer wall 200). The control panel 114 houses a control circuit for driving the primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108. A first dispenser 116 for supplying a primer composition, a second dispenser 117 for supplying a cleaning liquid, a first container 118 for storing the primer composition, and a second container 119 for storing the cleaning liquid are disposed at appropriate positions on the main body 102. For example, these devices are disposed on the upper part of the main body 102.

[0029] The primer application unit 106 includes an application member 1061, a first support 1063 that supports the application member 1061, and a first drive mechanism 1062 that displaces the front and rear positions of the application member 1061 together with the first support 1063. The first support 1063 may have any shape, but has a structure in which a rod-like or plate-like body protrudes forward in order to insert the application member 1061 into the joint of the exterior wall. The application member 1061 is attached to the tip of this rod-like or plate-like body. The primer composition is applied by rubbing the application member 1061 against the side wall of the joint of the exterior wall, so the shape of the protruding tip of the first support 1063 may be flat like a spatula.

[0030] The primer composition stored in the first container 118 is supplied to the application member 1061 by the first dispenser 116. The primer composition is quantitatively supplied to the application member 1061 by the first dispenser 116, so that the primer composition can be applied uniformly along the joints.

[0031] A tray 109 may be provided below the primer application unit 106. The tray 109 can be used to collect the primer composition that seeps out and drips from the application member 1061. By providing the tray 109 below the primer application unit 106, it is possible to prevent the cleaning unit 108 from being soiled with the primer composition.

[0032] The cleaning unit 108 includes a cleaning member 1081, a second support 1083 that supports the cleaning member 1081, and a second drive mechanism 1082 that displaces the front-rear position of the cleaning member 1081 together with the second support 1083. The second support 1083 may have any shape, but has a structure in which a rod-like or plate-like body protrudes forward, similar to the first support 1063. The cleaning member 1081 is attached to the tip of this rod-like or plate-like body. The second drive mechanism 1082 has a function of displacing the position of the cleaning member 1081 back-and-forth.

[0033] The cleaning member 1081 is supplied with the cleaning liquid stored in the second container 119 by the second dispenser 117. The cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning member 1081 in a fixed amount by the second dispenser 117, so that the joints can be cleaned. A neutral detergent can be used as the cleaning liquid. The joints 202 may be cleaned using only water without using a detergent. Although not shown, an air gun may be attached to the cleaning unit 108, and a function of blowing air onto the joints 202 may be added.

[0034] The first driving mechanism 1062 and the second driving mechanism 1082 are configured with actuators such as, for example, electric cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, or pneumatic cylinders. In this embodiment, two independent driving mechanisms are shown as the first driving mechanism 1062 and the second driving mechanism 1082, but the driving mechanism of the primer coating unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 may be a common mechanism, and the coating member 1061 and the cleaning member 1081 may be displaced simultaneously.

[0035] In the primer application device 100 according to this embodiment, the cleaning unit 108 cleans the joints 202 of the exterior wall 200, and the primer application unit 106 applies a primer composition to the joints. As described with reference to FIG. 1, the primer composition is applied when the main body 102 is pulled up to the upper part of the exterior wall 200 by the drive unit 104 and then lowered from the top to the bottom of the exterior wall 200. Since the primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 are attached to the main body 102, cleaning of the joints 202 by the cleaning unit 108 and application of the primer composition by the primer application unit 106 can be performed continuously. Therefore, in terms of relative positional relationship, the cleaning unit 108 is disposed below the primer application unit 106. In other words, the cleaning unit 108 is disposed forward of the primer application unit 106 with respect to the traveling direction of the main body 102. With the primer application device 100 having such an arrangement, it is possible to apply the primer composition immediately after cleaning the joints, thereby facilitating the work of applying the primer composition, shortening the work time, and ensuring that the primer composition is applied reliably to the joints 202 of the exterior wall 200.

[0036] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the mounting structure of the primer coating unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108. In the explanation referring to Fig. 5, the front-rear direction refers to the direction [A] shown in the figure, the horizontal direction refers to the direction [B] shown in the figure, and the swinging direction refers to the direction [C].

[0037] The primer coating unit 106 includes a coating member 1061, a first driving mechanism 1062, and a first support 1063. The first support 1063 is provided so as to be displaceable back and forth by the first driving mechanism 1062. The first support 1063 has a portion formed of a rod-like or plate-like body that protrudes forward (corresponding to the downward direction of the paper in FIG. 5), and the coating member 1061 is attached to this portion. The coating member 1061 is displaceable together with the first support 1063 by the operation of the first driving mechanism 1062.

[0038] The cleaning unit 108 includes a cleaning member 1081, a second driving mechanism 1082, and a second support 1083. The second support 1083 is provided so as to be displaceable back and forth by the second driving mechanism 1082. The second support 1083 has a part formed of a rod-like or plate-like body that protrudes forward (corresponding to the downward direction of the paper in FIG. 5), and the cleaning member 1081 is attached to this part. The cleaning member 1081 is displaceable together with the second support 1083 by the operation of the second driving mechanism 1082.

[0039] The primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 are attached to a first support plate 120. One end of the first support plate 120 is connected to a rotating shaft 124, and the other end is a free end. The rotating shaft 124 is rotatably supported by a bearing 125 attached to a second support plate 122. The bearing 125 is composed of a sliding bearing or a rolling bearing, and for example, a bearing holder is used. The second support plate 122 is attached to a linear guide 126 that slides in the horizontal direction. With such an attachment structure, the first support plate 120 can swing like a pendulum (in the direction of [C] shown in FIG. 5) and can also be displaced in the horizontal direction (in the direction of [B] shown in FIG. 5). The primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 are attached to the first support plate 120, and are not fixed at a fixed position in the main body 102, but are installed in a state in which they can swing and be displaced in the horizontal direction.

[0040] In this manner, the primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 are held by the cantilevered first support plate 120 and are attached so as to be swingable and displaceable in the horizontal direction. With this attachment structure, when the main body 102 descends along the joints 202 of the exterior wall 200, the application member 1061 and the cleaning member 1081 can move smoothly without coming off the joints 202 while inserted in the joints 202. In other words, when the main body 102 moves from the top to the bottom of the exterior wall 200, even if the position of the main body 102 sways in the horizontal direction (left and right direction), the application member 1061 of the primer application unit 106 and the cleaning member 1081 of the cleaning unit 108 can be prevented from coming off the joints 202 of the exterior wall 200.

[0041] A guide 128a may be provided at the tip of the first support plate 120 so as to follow the joint 202. The guide 128a protrudes forward from the first support plate 120 (corresponding to the lower side of the paper in FIG. 5) and is provided at a position where it is inserted into the joint. As shown in the front view of FIG. 2, the guide 128a is provided below the cleaning member 1081. That is, when the main body 102 moves from the upper side to the lower side of the outer wall 200, the guide 128a is provided in front of the moving direction of the cleaning member 1081 and the application member 1061, and on the side of the free end of the first support plate 120. The application member 1061, the cleaning member 1081, and the guide 128a are attached to the first support plate 120 so that their respective vertical center lines are aligned on the same line. With this configuration, the angle and horizontal position of the first support plate 120 can be adjusted by the guide 128a so as to follow the joint 202, and the application member 1061 and the cleaning member 1081 can be prevented from coming off the joint 202. Although there may be only one guide 128a, a plurality of guides 128a may be arranged in the vertical direction in order to reliably realize the function of finely adjusting the oscillation angle and horizontal position of the first support plate 120. Fig. 5 shows, as an example, an example in which two guides 128a are arranged in the vertical direction.

[0042] In addition to the guide 128a provided on the first support plate 120, a guide 128b may also be provided on the side of the main body 102 as shown in Fig. 2. It is preferable that the guide 128a of the first support plate 120, which is a movable plate, and the guide 128b on the side of the main body 102 are linearly arranged in the vertical direction. By using these two types of guides (guide 128a and guide 128b) with different mounting positions, the positions of the application member 1061 and the cleaning member 1081 can be accurately adjusted so as to follow the joints.

[0043] Figures 6(A) and (B) show details of the application member 1061. Figure 6(A) shows a top view of the application member 1061, and Figure 6(B) shows a front view of the application member 1061. The application member 1061 is formed by combining one or more flexible members. Figures 6(A) and (B) show an example in which the application member 1061 is formed by combining a flexible foamed resin material 10611 and a cloth-like material 10612.

[0044] As shown in Figs. 6(A) and (B), the applicator 1061 is provided so as to cover the tip of the first support 1063. The first support 1063 is formed of a hard material such as metal or plastic, whereas the applicator 1061 is formed of a material having flexibility and water absorption. The applicator 1061 is provided with a foamed resin material 10611 so as to cover the tip of the first support 1063, and a cloth-like material 10612 so as to cover the outside of the foamed resin material 10611. Although not shown, a primer composition is supplied to the foamed resin material 10611. The primer composition is an acrylic, ethylene vinyl acetate, urethane, or epoxy paint, and is a liquid material. The foamed resin material 10611 has water absorption, and when a sufficient amount of the primer composition is supplied, it can seep into the cloth-like material 10612 and be applied to the joint 202.

[0045] For example, a melamine sponge is used as the foamed resin material 10611. A flannel fabric is used as the cloth-like material 10612. Since the melamine sponge has water absorption properties and the flannel fabric has moderate water permeability, the primer composition can be uniformly applied to the joints by supplying the primer composition to the application member 1061 formed from these materials.

[0046] In this way, by covering the foamed resin material 10611 with the cloth-like material 10612, it is possible to suppress wear of the foamed resin material 10611 and form a durable application member 1061. The flannel fabric is elastic, durable, and has a raised surface, so it can protect the melamine sponge and be used as a substitute for a brush.

[0047] An arc-shaped guide 10613 may be provided at the tip of the first support 1063. The arc-shaped guide 10613 may be exposed to the outside, or may be provided so as to be covered by the foamed resin material 10611 and the cloth-like material 10612. By using the arc-shaped guide 10613, the primer composition can be applied while the applicator 1061 is inserted into the joint 202 and does not come out of the joint.

[0048] FIG. 6(C) shows the state in which the applicator 1061 is inserted into the joint 202 of the exterior wall 200. The exterior wall 200 is formed of various curtain walls, and the joints 202 between the panels are filled with a sealant, but FIG. 6(C) shows the stage in which the primer composition is applied before the sealant is filled. The applicator 1061 contacts the side wall of the joint 202 and is inserted into the joint 202 up to the portion just before the back-up material 204 is loaded. By providing the arc-shaped guide 10613, in combination with the swinging and horizontal position displacement mechanism of the first support plate 120, it becomes possible to easily insert the tip of the first support 1063 into the joint 202 without precisely adjusting the position. It is preferable that the applicator 1061 is approximately the same as the width of the joint 202 or slightly larger than the width of the joint 202. In either case, the work is performed automatically with the applicator 1061 inserted into the joint 202, so the primer composition can be applied to the joint 202 without having to protect the exterior wall 200 with masking tape or the like.

[0049] Although not shown, the cleaning member 1081 of the cleaning unit 108 has a similar configuration to the application member 1061 shown in Figures 6(A) to 6(C). Although not shown in this embodiment, the application member 1061 and the cleaning member 1081 may be made of a brush instead of a foamed resin material and a cloth-like material.

[0050] 7(A) and (B) show the operation of the primer application unit 106. FIG. 7(A) shows the application member 1061 in the first standby position, and FIG. 7(B) shows the application member 1061 in the first working position. The first standby position is a position where the application member 1061 is stored in the main body 102 (in other words, a position where the application member 1061 does not protrude from the main body 102), and the first working position is a position where the application member 1061 protrudes from the main body 102 and is inserted into the joint 202 of the exterior wall 200. The first standby position and the first working position of the application member 1061 are controlled by the operation of the first drive mechanism 1062. Although not shown, the second standby position and the second working position of the cleaning member 1081 of the cleaning unit 108 are also controlled in the same manner.

[0051] As described above, according to the primer coating device 100 of this embodiment, the primer coating unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 are attached to the main body 102, and the main body 102 is hung by the drive unit 104 consisting of the winch 1041, the pulley 1042, and the wire 1043, and work is performed in this state, so that there is no need to install rails or the like in advance, and work can be performed with a simple configuration. The main body 102 is provided with casters 1021, and further with suction means 110 for preventing the main body 102 from moving away from the exterior wall 200, so that the main body 102 can move on the surface of the exterior wall 200 in a stable state and work can be performed. By having a primer coating unit and a cleaning unit that are controlled to at least two positions that are displaced forward and backward, between the standby position and the work position, with respect to the vertical movement of the main body 102, it is possible to prevent damage to each unit due to an accidental collision when the main body 102 moves, and during work, cleaning and application of the primer composition can be performed smoothly while moving the main body 102 on the exterior wall surface.

[0052] 8(A) and (B) show other configurations of the primer application unit 106. Here, Fig. 8(A) is a top view showing the state before the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202, and Fig. 8(B) shows the state when the primer application unit 106 has been inserted into the joint 202.

[0053] The primer application unit 106 shown in Figs. 8(A) and (B) has a configuration in which the first support is divided into two, a first support 1063A and a first support 1063B. The first support 1063A and the first support 1063B are rotatably fixed at the position of the fulcrum 140, and are configured so that the side of the application member 1061 functions as the point of action and the opposite side functions as the point of force, centered on the fulcrum 140. Specifically, the application member 1061 formed of a foamed resin material 10611 and a cloth-like material 10612 is provided at the tip of the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B, and the cam follower 134 (134A, 134B) is provided at the end on the opposite side. The primer application unit 106 having such a configuration can be controlled so that the application member 1061 is in close contact with the side of the joint 202 by the cam 132 that moves back and forth by the cylinder 130.

[0054] 8(A), before the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202, the wide portion of the cam 132 is interposed between the cam follower 134A and the cam follower 134B. A tensile force is applied by the spring 136 between the cam follower 134A and the cam follower 134B, but the presence of the cam 132 keeps the first support 163A and the first support 163B parallel to each other.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 8(B), when the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202, the position of the cam 132 is displaced by the cylinder 130, and the gap between the cam follower 134A and the cam follower 134B is narrowed. Since the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B rotate around the fulcrum 140, the application member 1061 located at the tip is displaced by an angle θ1. In other words, the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B are displaced such that the gap between the application member 1061 widens on both sides as the gap between the cam follower 134A and the cam follower 134B is narrowed. The magnitude of the displaced angle θ1 can be set appropriately, and for example, the angle θ1 can be set in the range of 0.5 to 5 degrees.

[0056] 8(A) and (B), the primer application unit 106 can be brought into close contact with the side wall of the joint 202 (the side end of the exterior wall 200), and the primer can be uniformly applied to the side wall of the joint 202. The width over which the application member 1061 spreads can be adjusted by the cam 132, and the primer application unit 106 can be flexibly adapted to exterior walls 200 having joints 202 with different widths.

[0057] 8(C) shows a cross-sectional structure of the applicator 1061 of the primer applicator unit 106 as viewed from the front. The primer applicator unit 106 moves from the top to the bottom of the building with the applicator 1061 inserted into the joint 202. In this case, it is preferable that the leading portions (lower portions) of the first supports 1063A and 1063B in the traveling direction are bent so as to face inward. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the applicator 1061 from getting caught in the joint 202, and the primer can be applied smoothly.

[0058] 9(A) to (C) show variations when the application member 1061 is placed at the point of action and the operation is controlled using a cam on the side of the force point. Fig. 9(A) shows the same operation as that shown in Fig. 8(A) and (B), and shows the operation in which the first support 1063A (the same applies to the first support 1063B) is displaced by an angle θ1 when inserted from the state before insertion into the joint 202 of the primer application unit 106.

[0059] 9(B) shows that before the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202, the first support 1063A is displaced inward by an angle θ2 (similar to the first support 1063B), and after being inserted into the joint 202, the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B spread out so that the tips of the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B become parallel. With this type of operation, the application member 1061 can be inserted into the joint 202 with the spacing narrowed, and can be easily inserted into a relatively narrow joint 202. Then, the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B spread out in the joint 202, so that the application member 1061 can be reliably brought into contact with the side wall of the joint 202.

[0060] FIG. 9(C) shows a case where the side wall of the joint 202 is inclined by an angle θ4. In this case, before the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202, the first support 1063A is displaced inward by an angle θ3 (similar to the first support 1063B), and after the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202, the tip of the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B spreads at an angle θ4, and the application member 1061 abuts against the side wall of the joint 202. Here, the angle θ4 is smaller than or equal to the angle θ3 (θ4≦θ3). In this way, even if the side wall of the joint 202 is inclined, the application member 1061 can be brought into close contact with the side wall of the joint 202 by adjusting the spread angle of the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B.

[0061] 10(A) and (B) show top views of the primer application unit 106, illustrating the operation of bringing the application member 1061 into close contact with the side wall of the joint 202 by horizontally moving the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B.

[0062] 10(A) shows the state before the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202. The first support 1063A and the first support 1063B are arranged in a state in which they can move horizontally (laterally) by the slider 142. A spring 136 is provided between the cam follower 134A and the cam follower 134B, but the elastic force of the spring 136 does not have to act in the initial state. In this state, it is preferable that the distance between the application members 1061 provided at the tips of the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B is narrower than the width of the joint 202.

[0063] FIG. 10B shows the state after the primer application unit 106 is inserted into the joint 202. When the cam 132 is inserted between the cam follower 134A and the cam follower 134B by the cylinder 130, the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B are moved horizontally by the slider 142 and move in a direction in which the distance between them increases. This movement makes it possible to abut the application member 1061 against the inner wall of the joint 202. As shown in the figure, by using the cam 132 that is trapezoidal in plan view, the width by which the first support 1063A and the first support 1063B increase can be adjusted by inserting the cam 132, so that it can be flexibly adapted according to the width of the joint 202.

[0064] According to the configuration of the primer application unit 106 shown in Figures 8(A) and (B) and Figures 10(A) and (B), the primer can be applied to a sufficient area on the side wall of the joint 202. Although Figures 8(A) and (B) and Figures 10(A) and (B) explain the configuration of the primer application unit 106, a similar configuration can be applied to the cleaning unit 108.

[0065] 11 shows the functional configuration of a primer application device 100 according to this embodiment. The primer application device 100 includes a main body 102 that cleans joints and applies a primer, a drive unit 104 that moves the main body 102 up and down along the exterior wall, and an operation unit 152 that starts and stops the main body 102.

[0066] The main body 102 has a primer application unit 106, a cleaning unit 108, a first driving mechanism 1062, a second driving mechanism 1082, a first dispenser 116, a second dispenser 117, a first displacement sensor 112, a second displacement sensor 113, and a control unit 150.

[0067] The primer application unit 106 has a function of applying a primer to the joints, and the cleaning unit 108 has a function of cleaning the joints. The first driving mechanism 1062 has a function of controlling the mechanical operation of the primer application unit 106, and the second driving mechanism 1082 has a function of controlling the mechanical operation of the cleaning unit 108. The mechanical operations of the primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 are as described with reference to FIG. 7. The first dispenser 116 has a function of supplying primer to the primer application unit 106, and the second dispenser 117 has a function of supplying cleaning liquid to the cleaning unit 108.

[0068] The first displacement sensor 112 has a function of detecting that the main body 102 has reached the upper end of the outer wall (work start position) and outputting a detection signal to the control unit 150. The second displacement sensor 113 has a function of detecting that the main body 102 has reached the lower end of the outer wall (work end position) and outputting a detection signal to the control unit 150.

[0069] The control unit 150 has a function of outputting commands to control the operations of the first driving mechanism 1062, the second driving mechanism 1082, the first dispenser 116, and the second dispenser 117. The control unit 150 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and an interface. The control unit 150 stores in its memory a control program for controlling the operations of each device provided in the main body 102. When the main body 102 is started, the control program stored in the control unit 150 is executed, and a command for controlling the operations of each device is output. The control unit 150 has a function of determining the state of the main body 102 based on the detection signals of the first displacement sensor 112 and the second displacement sensor 113, and outputting a control command according to the state to the first driving mechanism 1062, the second driving mechanism 1082, the first dispenser 116, and the second dispenser 117 based on the control program.

[0070] The drive unit 104 has a function of controlling the winding up and winding down operations of the winch 1041. In other words, the drive unit 104 has a function of controlling the up and down movement of the main body 102 along the outer wall via the winch 1041. The drive unit 104 controls the winding up and winding down operations of the winch 1041 in accordance with commands from the control unit 150. The operations of the main body 102 and the drive unit 104 are centrally controlled by the control unit 150, so that the movement of the main body 102 and the operations of cleaning the joints of the outer wall and applying the primer are linked, making it possible to carry out the work smoothly.

[0071] The operation unit 152 is a part that is directly operated by an operator, and has a function of outputting start and stop of the main body 102. The operation unit 152 may also have a function for an operator to manually control the operation of the main body 102 and the drive unit 104. For example, the operation unit 152 may have a function for disconnecting the drive unit 104 from the control unit 150 in the event of an emergency, and for the drive unit 104 to be operated by an operator.

[0072] Fig. 12 shows an operation flow diagram of the primer coating apparatus 100. As shown in Fig. 12, in the primer coating apparatus 100, the main body 102, the drive unit 104, and the operation part 152 operate in cooperation with each other. Below, the operation of the primer coating apparatus 100 will be described according to the operation flow diagram shown in Fig. 12, while also referring to Fig. 11.

[0073] First, before starting the primer application device 100, the main body 102 is placed in front of the exterior wall (in front of the vertical joint), and an operator visually checks the state of each part (S201). For example, an operator on the ground checks whether the primer application unit 106 and the cleaning unit 108 are in the standby position, whether the first dispenser 116 and the second dispenser 117 are filled with the treatment solution, and whether the second displacement sensor 113 has detected the lower end. If the conditions of each part are not in the initial state, the operator adjusts them to the reset state before starting the main body 102.

[0074] When the start switch of the operation section 152 is turned on (S202), automatic operation of the drive unit 104 is started according to a control program stored in the control section 150 (S204).

[0075] In the main body 102, the first dispenser 116 and the second dispenser 117 are turned on (S206), and the control unit 150 sets the winding speed of the winch 1041 (S208), and outputs a winch winding command to the drive unit 104 (S210). When the drive unit 104 receives the winch winding command, it drives the winch 1041 to start winding the wire. This causes the main body 102 to be lifted upward along the outer wall surface (see FIG. 1). Then, when the first displacement sensor 112 detects that the main body 102 has reached the upper end of the outer wall (S214), the control unit 150 outputs a winch 1041 stop command to the drive unit 104. When the drive unit 104 receives the winch stop command, it stops the winch 1041 winding operation.

[0076] Thereafter, in the main body 102, the control unit 150 outputs a command to drive the first driving mechanism 1062 and the second driving mechanism 1082 (S220). Specifically, the control unit 150 outputs a command to the first driving mechanism 1062 to drive the cylinder so that the application member 1061 of the primer application unit 106 is at the first working position, and outputs a command to the second driving mechanism 1082 to drive the cylinder so that the cleaning member 1081 of the cleaning unit 108 is at the second working position (see FIG. 7).

[0077] When a winch lowering command is output from the control unit 150 to the drive unit 104 (S222), the drive unit 104 drives the winch 1041 to start winding out the wire (S224). The lowering operation of the winch 1041 lowers the main body 102, during which the vertical joints are cleaned and a primer is applied (S226).

[0078] When the second displacement sensor 113 detects the lower end (S228), the control unit 150 outputs a winch stop command to the drive unit 104 (S230), and the drive unit 104 that receives the command stops the winch 1041 (S232). After that, in the main body 102, the control unit 150 outputs a command to drive the first drive mechanism 1062 and the second drive mechanism 1082 (S234). Specifically, the control unit 150 outputs a command to the first drive mechanism 1062 to drive the cylinder so that the application member 1061 of the primer application unit 106 moves to the first standby position, and outputs a command to the second drive mechanism 1082 to drive the cylinder so that the cleaning member 1081 of the cleaning unit 108 moves to the second standby position (see FIG. 7). In addition, the control unit 150 turns off the first dispenser 116 and the second dispenser 117 (S236), and the automatic operation is stopped (S238). When the start switch S240 is turned off on the operation unit 152, the primer coating device 100 stops.

[0079] Thereafter, when applying primer to another vertical joint, the main body 102 is moved and the same process is repeated.

[0080] As described above, each element constituting the primer application device 100 works in coordination to automatically apply primer to the vertical joints in the exterior walls of a building. The worker simply hangs the main body 102 with a pulley and places it at the position of the vertical joint, and thereafter, as explained with reference to Fig. 12, the control unit 150 controls the functions of each unit according to the control program to clean the joints and apply the primer, reducing the labor required for the work and ensuring safety by reducing work at high altitudes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 100: primer application device, 102: main body, 1021: caster, 1022: connector, 104: drive unit, 1041: winch, 1042: pulley, 1043: wire, 1044: support, 106: primer application unit, 1061: application member, 10611: foamed resin material, 10612: cloth-like material, 10613: guide, 1062: first drive mechanism, 1063: first support, 108: cleaning unit, 1081: cleaning member, 1082: second drive mechanism, 1083: second support, 109: tray, 110: suction Pulling means, 112: first displacement sensor, 113: second displacement sensor, 114: control panel, 116: first dispenser, 117: second dispenser, 118: first container, 119: second container, 120: first support plate, 122: second support plate, 124: rotating shaft, 125: bearing, 126: linear guide, 128: guide, 130: cylinder, 132: cam, 134: cam follower, 136: spring, 140: fulcrum, 142: slider, 150: control unit, 152: operation unit, 200: outer wall, 202: joint, 204: backup material

Claims

1. a primer application unit in which an application member is provided at a tip of the first support and a primer composition is supplied to the application member; a cleaning unit in which a cleaning member is provided at a tip of the second support and a cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning member; a main body supporting the primer application unit and the cleaning unit; A drive unit that moves the main body in a vertical direction while the main body is suspended from a wall surface of a building, the primer application unit includes a first drive mechanism that drives the first support body back and forth so as to change the position of the application member between a first standby position away from the wall surface and a first working position where the application member is inserted into a joint in the wall surface; The cleaning unit includes a second drive mechanism that drives the second support back and forth so as to change the position of the cleaning member between a second standby position away from the wall surface and a second working position where the cleaning member is inserted into a joint of the wall surface. A primer application device.

2. The main body is provided with casters that are in contact with the wall surface. The primer application device according to claim 1 .

3. A suction means is provided on the main body, and the suction means applies a suction force to the wall surface. The primer application device according to claim 2.

4. The suction means is disposed so as to face the wall surface with a gap therebetween. The primer application device according to claim 3.

5. The attraction means is a magnet. The primer application device according to claim 4.

6. The drive unit includes a winch, a wire wound on the winch, and a pulley around which the wire is wound at an upper end of the building, The body is suspended by the wire. The primer application device according to claim 5.

7. The cleaning unit is disposed below the primer application unit. The primer application device according to claim 6.

8. The main body is suspended from the building and moves from the upper side to the lower side of the wall surface, and the cleaning unit cleans the joints and the primer application unit applies the primer to the joints in succession. The primer application device according to claim 7.

9. The primer application unit and the cleaning unit are suspended so as to be swingable and displaceable in the horizontal direction. The primer application device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An arc-shaped guide is provided at a tip of the first support and the second support. The primer application device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The application member and the cleaning member are formed of a melamine sponge and a flannel cloth covering the melamine sponge. The primer application device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The main body is provided with a guide for adjusting the positions of the primer application unit and the cleaning unit along the joints of the wall surface. The primer application device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The primer applying device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a first displacement sensor for detecting an upper end and a second displacement sensor for detecting a lower end, the first displacement sensor being disposed in the main body.

14. The primer application unit is constituted by two first supports that rotate around a fulcrum, the application members are provided at the points of application of the two first supports, and the distance between the two application members is made variable. A primer application device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The primer application unit is composed of two first supports that move horizontally, the application members are provided at the points of application of the two first supports, and the distance between the two application members is made variable. A primer application device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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