Support construction

Abstract

To provide a support structure low in height, compact in a height direction, and capable of facilitating mechanical interference of a second support member at a temporary scaffold or the like.SOLUTION: A pair of first support members 20 and 20 of a support structure 10 is fitted to a lower steel column 1A so as to extend in a first direction which is horizontal and hold the lower steel column 1A therebetween. A pair of second support members 30 and 30 are passed for each of the first support members 20 and 20 so as to extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction and hold the lower steel column 1A therebetween. In each second support member 30, a through-hole into which each first support member 20 is inserted is formed. The pair of second support members 30 and 30 is supported on the first support members 20 and 20 by inserting the first support members 20 into the through-holes 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a support structure for supporting a robot arm used for welding the butt joint portion between an upper steel column and a lower steel column on the lower steel column.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, at a construction site or the like, the butt joint portion between an upper steel column and a lower steel column is fixed by welding. As such a welding method, a welding method using a robot arm is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes a support structure including a pair of first support members supported so as to be sandwiched by a lower steel column, a pair of second support members extending in a direction intersecting the first members and supported by the first support members, and a rail member fixed along the second support members. According to this support structure, a robot arm can be attached to lower steel columns of different sizes, and the upper and lower steel columns can be butt-welded while moving the robot arm along the rail member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the support structure shown in Patent Document 1, the first support member is fixed to the lower steel column via a support piece, the second support member is fixed so as to rest on the first support member, and the rail member is further fixed on top of the second support member. As a result, the travel position of the robot arm during welding of the butt joint between the upper and lower steel columns is at a height equal to the sum of the height of the first support member and the height of the second support member relative to the support piece. Consequently, the vertical mounting range of the support structure is widened, and there is a risk of interference with other steel frame members such as braces and purlins, surrounding equipment, and temporary scaffolding.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these points, and its purpose is to provide a support structure that is less likely to interfere with peripheral equipment and temporary scaffolding, by making the vertical mounting range of the support structure more compact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the support structure according to the present invention is a support structure for supporting a robot arm used for welding the butt joint portion between an upper steel column and a lower steel column on the lower steel column, comprising: a pair of first support members extending in a horizontal first direction and attached to the lower steel column so as to sandwich the lower steel column; a pair of second support members extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction and stretched across each of the pair of first support members so as to sandwich the lower steel column; and a rail member extending in the second direction and attached to each of the second support members to guide the movement of the robot arm, wherein each of the second support members has a through hole through which each of the first support members is inserted, and the pair of second support members are supported by the pair of first support members by which each of the first support members is inserted through the through hole.

[0008] According to the present invention, since a pair of first support members are inserted through holes in a pair of second support members, and the pair of second support members are supported by the pair of first support members, the height of the support structure can be reduced, making it more compact in the height direction. This makes it easier to avoid mechanical interference between the second support members and the first support members with surrounding equipment and temporary scaffolding.

[0009] In a more preferred embodiment, the second support member is provided with a reinforcing member that encircles the periphery of the through hole.

[0010] In this embodiment, since the reinforcing member is attached so as to encircle the through hole, the rigidity and strength around the through hole can be increased. As a result, even if the robot arm operates while traveling along the rail member, the robot arm can be stably supported via the first and second support members.

[0011] In a more preferred embodiment, the through-hole is an elongated hole that extends horizontally to accommodate a pair of support members attached to the lower steel column, each having a different cross-sectional size.

[0012] According to this embodiment, even when a pair of first support members are fixed to the outer surface of columns with different cross-sectional sizes, the pair of first support members can be inserted through the through-holes of the second support members. This makes it possible to set the mounting position of the second support members according to the size of the columns, and to support each second support member with the pair of first support members.

[0013] In a more preferred embodiment, a plurality of first mounting holes for attaching the second support member are formed on both sides of the first support member along the first direction, the second support member has a support portion that protrudes outward from the upper edge of the elongated hole and is supported by the first support member, the support portion has a plurality of second mounting holes formed along the second direction, and the second support member is attached to the first support member by inserting a fastener through the first and second mounting holes, among the plurality of first mounting holes and the plurality of second mounting holes, at positions that match the size of the lower steel column.

[0014] According to this embodiment, the first and second mounting holes can be selected from the plurality of first mounting holes of the first support member and the plurality of second mounting holes of the second support member according to the size of the lower steel column, and the fasteners can be inserted through the selected first and second mounting holes to fix the second support member to the first support member. In this way, even if the columns are of different sizes, the first and second support members can be attached to the lower steel column at the desired mounting position.

[0015] In a more preferred embodiment, the first support member is attached to the lower steel column via a bracket, the bracket comprising a first fixing portion fixed to the lower steel column and extending in the first direction, and a pair of second fixing portions extending from both sides of the first fixing portion in the first direction in a direction intersecting the first direction, and fixed in a state on which the first support member is placed.

[0016] In this embodiment, the first support member is fixed in a state where it is placed on a pair of spaced-apart second fixing parts, so that the first support member can be supported at two spaced-apart points. This reduces the bending stress acting on the first support member and allows the first support member to be securely held to the column via the bracket. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, the height of the support structure can be suppressed, and the structure can be made more compact in the height direction, making it easier to avoid mechanical interference of the support member with a temporary scaffold or the like.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state where a robot arm is attached to a pillar using the support structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the structure of the first support member and the fixing member of the support structure shown in FIG. 1 in an exploded manner. [Figure 3] FIG. 14 shows the second support member of the support structure shown in FIG. 1, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a perspective view of the main part of a modified example. [Figure 4] FIG. 17 shows the attachment portion of the first support member of the support structure shown in FIG. 1 to the pillar and the support portion between the first support member and the second support member, where (a) is a front view of the main part and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the C-C line of (a). [Figure 5] FIG. 20 shows the details of the attachment portion shown in FIG. 4, where (a) is a plan view of the main part, (b) is a front view of the main part, and (c) is a right side view of the main part including the fixing nut. [Figure 6] FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the state where the main part configuration of the attachment portion shown in FIG. 5 is disassembled. [Figure 7] FIG. 26 is a plan view showing the main part of the support structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 29 shows the main part of the support structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view of the main part, (b) is a right side view of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the D-D line of (a). [Figure 9] FIG. 32 is a perspective view showing the disassembled state of the main part configuration of the attachment portion shown in FIG. 8.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the support structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing two robot arms attached to the lower steel column of a column consisting of an upper steel column and a lower steel column, using the support structure according to this embodiment.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, a robotic arm 80 is used at construction sites and the like to weld the butt joint 1a between the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B. The first and second support members 20 and 30 that support the robotic arm 80 are detachably attached to the outer surface of the lower steel column 1A using the support structure 10.

[0021] The outer surfaces of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B are composed of four outer surfaces: two opposing outer surfaces 1b, 1b and two outer surfaces 1c, 1c formed between them. These surfaces are formed by four flat sections and four curved sections connecting adjacent flat sections. Multiple (four in this case) projections 2 (also called erection pieces) are welded to predetermined positions on the flat sections of the outer surfaces 1b, 1c of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B. These projections 2 are provided to temporarily fix the upper and lower adjacent lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B. Temporary fixing jigs 3 are attached to two projections 2 positioned vertically.

[0022] The temporary fixing jig 3 extends vertically, with its upper end fastened to the upper projection 2 using bolts 4, etc., and its lower end fastened to the lower projection 2 using bolts 4, etc. Although a detailed explanation is omitted here, the temporary fixing jig 3 may be configured to allow adjustment of the distance between the two projections 2 positioned vertically. This makes it possible to adjust the gap between the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B, as well as the inclination of the upper steel column 1B. The temporary fixing jig 3 is removed from the projection 2 when the welding of the butt joint portion 1a of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B is completed, or even during the welding of the butt joint portion 1a when the joint strength between the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B becomes large enough to support the building under construction.

[0023] Next, the support structure 10 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The support structure 10 is a structure in which a first support member 20 that supports the robot arm 80 is detachably fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A via a fixing unit 11.

[0024] The support structure 10 comprises a pair of first support members 20, 20, a pair of second support members 30, 30 supported across the pair of first support members 20, 20, and a pair of rail members 40, 40 attached to the upper part of the pair of second support members 30, 30 to guide the movement of a trolley 90 on which two robot arms 80, 80 are mounted.

[0025] The pair of first support members 20, 20 extend in a horizontal first direction (direction of arrow A) and are attached to the lower steel column 1A so as to sandwich the column 1. Specifically, the pair of first support members 20, 20 extend in a horizontal first direction (direction of arrow A) and are fixed to the opposing outer surfaces 1b, 1b of the lower steel column 1A so as to sandwich the lower steel column 1A.

[0026] The pair of second support members 30, 30 extend in a horizontal second direction (arrow B direction) intersecting the first direction and span across each pair of first support members 20, 20 so as to sandwich the column 1. Specifically, the pair of second support members 30, 30 extend in a horizontal second direction (arrow B direction) intersecting (orthogonal to) the first direction and are supported across the pair of first support members 20, 20 so as to sandwich the other opposing outer surfaces 1c, 1c of the lower steel column 1A. The pair of rail members 40, 40 extend in the second direction and are attached to each reinforcing member, guiding the movement of each robot arm 80. Specifically, the pair of rail members 40, 40 are fixed on the pair of second support members 30, 30 and guide the two robot arms 80, 80 in the second direction (arrow B direction). The first direction (direction of arrow A) and the second direction (direction of arrow B) are parallel to or perpendicular to the planar portions of the outer surfaces 1b and 1c of the lower steel column 1A.

[0027] Next, the detailed structure of the first support member 20 will be described with reference to Figure 2. The material and cross-sectional shape of the first support member 20 are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of weight reduction, an aluminum alloy is used here, although steel may also be used. As shown in Figure 2, the first support member 20 is formed in an H-shaped cross-section having a pair of flanges 21, 22 and a web 23 connecting the pair of flanges 21, 22, and is formed to extend in the first direction (direction of arrow A when attached to the lower steel column 1A). Multiple first mounting holes 21a (also called through holes) for attaching the second support members 30, 30 are formed along the first direction on both sides in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow A) of the flange 21. Since multiple first mounting holes 21a are provided along the longitudinal direction (first direction) of the flange 21, it is possible to adjust the fastening position of the second support members 30, 30 to the flange 21 in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow A) of the flange 21. Furthermore, the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A may be indicated around the first mounting hole 21a to match the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A used for each first mounting hole 21a. In addition, the set distance from the second support member 30 to the lower steel column 1A may be indicated around the first mounting hole 21a. This allows the second support member 30 to be fixed to the lower steel column 1A in an appropriate position.

[0028] Multiple through holes 21b are provided near the longitudinal center of the flange 22 at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the flange 22 for fastening the fixing angles 12 that constitute the fixing unit 11, which will be described later. The through holes 21b are elongated holes that extend horizontally to match the pair of first support members 20, 20 attached to the lower steel column 1A, which have different cross-sectional sizes. This allows the mounting position of the second support members to be set according to the size, even if the lower steel column 1A are of different sizes, and each second support member to be supported by the pair of first support members.

[0029] Next, the detailed structure of the second support member 30 will be described with reference to Figure 3. The material and cross-sectional shape of the second support member 30 are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of weight reduction, an aluminum alloy is used here, although steel or resin may also be used. As shown in Figure 3, the second support member 30 is formed as a rectangular pipe with a vertically elongated cross-sectional shape, and is formed to extend in the second direction (direction of arrow B when attached to the lower steel column 1A). The second direction (direction of arrow B) and the first direction (direction of arrow A) described above are directions along the horizontal. If welding can be performed as described later, the second direction (direction of arrow B) only needs to intersect the first direction (direction of arrow A), and in this embodiment, they are orthogonal.

[0030] Two through-holes 31 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the second support member 30, through which each of the pair of first support members 20, 20 is inserted. There are a total of four through-holes 31, two on each side of one of the second support members 30. The through-holes 31 are elongated holes that extend horizontally to a position in which the horizontal position of the pair of first support members 20, 20 can be adjusted relative to the lower steel column 1A of different cross-sectional sizes. More specifically, the through-holes 31 are elongated rectangles, and their width is set to allow the inserted first support member 20 to move horizontally relative to the lower steel column 1A of different cross-sectional sizes, and their height is set so that the upper and lower flanges of the first support member 20 do not come into contact. Each of the through-holes 31 penetrates horizontally along direction A.

[0031] The through-hole 31 is an elongated hole formed in a rectangular shape by an upper edge, a lower edge, and a pair of side edges. The second support member 30 has a support plate (support portion) 32 that protrudes outward from the upper edge of the elongated through-hole 31 and is supported by the first support member 20. The support plate 32 is fixed to the tubular body 30A that constitutes the second support member 30, which will be described later, by welding or the like. For example, the support plate (support portion) 32 may be formed by bending a part of the tubular body 30A when processing the through-hole 31. Instead of the support plate 32, a support block may be provided as a support portion. In this example, the support plate 32 is fixed by fillet welding in three places along the upper edge of the through-hole 31. The support plate 32 has a plurality of second mounting holes 33 formed along the second direction (direction B).

[0032] In this way, the second support member 30 is attached to the first support member 20 by inserting fasteners into the first and second mounting holes 21a, 33, among the multiple first mounting holes 21a, 21a, ... and the multiple second mounting holes 33, 33, ... that are positioned to match the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A.

[0033] As described above, the through-hole 31 is formed as a horizontally elongated rectangle, and as shown in Figure 4(b), it is a horizontally elongated hole so that the horizontal position of the pair of first support members 20, 20 can be adjusted relative to the lower steel column 1A which has a different cross-sectional shape. Specifically, since the pair of first support members 20, 20 are fixedly supported by spreading horizontally to match the thickness (horizontal width) of the lower steel column 1A, the horizontal length w is set to be large, and the hole is an elongated hole that extends horizontally so that the horizontal position of the first support members 20 can be adjusted. The height h2 of the through-hole 31 is set to be larger than the height h1 of the first support members 20, so that the horizontal position of the first support members 20 can be adjusted within the through-hole 31.

[0034] The second support member 30 comprises a tubular body 30A extending along the second direction (direction B), and a reinforcing plate 30B attached to the tubular body 30A and surrounding the periphery of the through hole 31 as a reinforcing member. The tubular body 30A is a tubular member with a square cross-section, but its cross-section may be polygonal, cylindrical, elliptical, etc., and its shape is not particularly limited as long as it can support the through hole 31 by passing the first support member 20 through it.

[0035] The reinforcing plate 30B is made of a metal plate such as aluminum alloy or steel, and it wraps around the through hole 31 in a square shape, reinforcing the area around the through hole 31. The reinforcing plate 30B is not strictly necessary, but reinforcing the area around the through hole 31 can increase the rigidity and strength of the second support member. Therefore, even when a heavy robot arm 80 travels along the rail member 40 fixed to the second support member 30, deformation of the second support member 30 is suppressed, allowing it to travel in a stable state. The reinforcing plate 30B is inserted inside the tubular body 30A, and the upper and lower edges of the reinforcing plate 30B are welded to the inner wall surface of the tubular body 30A.

[0036] Four handles 35 are fixed horizontally to both sides near both ends of the tubular body 30A of the second support member 30. The handles 35 are used when carrying the second support member 30 by hand. Therefore, the second support member 30 can be carried by two people. Notched grooves 36 are formed along the end faces on the upper surfaces of both ends of the second support member 30. As shown in Figure 3(b), the notched grooves 36 allow the strings 37a of a tool bag 37 for storing tools and small items to be hooked, which is convenient for various tasks near the second support member 30.

[0037] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the first support member 20 is detachably fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A via a fixing unit 11. The fixing unit 11 comprises a fixing angle 12 as a fixing member for fixing a pair of first support members 20, and a detachable unit 13 for detachably attaching the fixing angle 12 to the lower steel column 1A. Therefore, the pair of first support members 20 are detachably fixed to two opposing outer surfaces 1b, 1b of the lower steel column 1A by the two fixing units 11. The fixing angle 12 is fixed so that the upper support surface supporting the first support member 20 is horizontal.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the detachable unit 13 is fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A and includes a receiver 14 that receives the first support member 20 via a fixing angle 12, and a connector 16 that connects the fixing angle 12 to the receiver 14. The receiver 14 is formed by press-forming a metal plate material such as a steel plate, and is formed in a U-shape in cross-section by two opposing rising walls 14a and a connecting wall 14b that connects the two rising walls 14a.

[0039] As shown in Figures 5(b) and 6, the receiving member 14 has a notch 15 formed in the connecting wall 14b. The notch 15 is U-shaped and is open at the top. The edge 15a of the notch 15 is formed continuously downward from this opening, and as will be described later, the first fastener 17 abuts against the lower edge 15b. In this embodiment, the notch 15 is open upward, but it may be open horizontally, for example. As a result, the edges of the notch 15 are formed in pairs, one above the other, so that the connecting member 16 can be attached and detached easily, and the receiving member 14 can stably support the connecting member 16.

[0040] The connector 16 consists of a first fastener 17 and a second fastener 18, which in this embodiment are, as an example, a hexagonal bolt and a nut. The first fastener 17 has a head 17a that detachably engages with the receiving member 14, and a shaft portion 17b extending from the head 17a. The head 17a is hexagonal in plan view and has a large diameter, while the shaft portion 17b is a shaft with a small diameter.

[0041] The shaft portion 17b of the first fastener 17 has a male thread formed from its tip towards its base portion 17c, and the second fastener 18, which has a female thread formed thereon, is fastened to the first fastener 17 by screwing it onto the shaft portion 17b of the first fastener 17. In this embodiment, the male thread is formed up to the base portion 17c (see Figures 5 and 6) of the shaft portion 17b of the first fastener 17, but the shape of the base portion 17c is not particularly limited as long as it can be screwed onto the second fastener 18.

[0042] In this embodiment, the head 17a of the first fastener 17 is detachably locked to the receiving member 14 so as to restrain movement of the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A in the direction normal to the outer surface 1b. Furthermore, the shaft portion 17b of the first fastener 17 protrudes from the notch 15 in the direction normal to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A. In this state, the base end portion 17c of the shaft portion 17b of the first fastener 17 abuts against the edge portion 15a (specifically, the lower edge portion 15b) of the notch 15.

[0043] More specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the width w1 of the notch 15 is set to be larger than the diameter of the shaft portion 17b and narrower than the width of the head portion 17a and the second fastener 18. In other words, the width w1 of the notch 15 is such that the shaft portion 17b (specifically the base portion 17c) of the first fastener 17 can be inserted into the notch 15, and the first fastener 17 is restrained in the direction normal to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the width w2 (distance between the inner wall surfaces) of the two rising walls 14a, 14a of the receiving device 14 is set to be slightly larger than the width w3 of the head 17a of the first fastener 17. The head (hexagonal head) 17a is set to be housed within the space formed by the two rising walls 14a, 14a and the connecting wall 14b. With the head 17a housed within the space of the receiving device 14, the first fastener 17 becomes immobile and can be attached to and detached from the receiving device 14 from above.

[0045] The receiving members 14 configured in this way are arranged horizontally in pairs on the opposing outer surfaces 1b, 1b of the lower steel column 1A, and are fixed by welding or the like at predetermined intervals corresponding to the width of the four flat sections of the lower steel column 1A. The welded portions are the contact points between the tips of the two rising walls 14a, 14a and the outer surfaces 1b, 1b of the column, and although not shown in the figure, the welded portions are formed with a slight bulge.

[0046] The receiving member 14 is fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A such that the opening of the notch 15 faces upward, and the first fastener 17 is mounted such that its head 17a enters the space between the two rising walls 14a, 14a of the receiving member 14, and the base end 17c of the shaft portion 17b enters the notch 15. For this reason, the head 17a of the first fastener 17 is detachably locked to the receiving member 14 so as to restrain movement in the direction normal to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A, and the shaft portion 17b protrudes from the receiving member 14 in the direction normal to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A. Furthermore, the base end 17c of the shaft portion 17b abuts against the lower edge portion 15b of the notch 15.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2, the fixing angle 12, which is a fixing member constituting the fixing unit 11, has the function of supporting the first support member 20 in a mounted state. Four through holes 12a are formed in the horizontal portion of the fixing angle 12, corresponding to the four through holes 21b of the first support member 20. In addition, two through holes 12b are formed in the vertical portion, into which the shaft portion 17b of the first fastener 17 is inserted.

[0048] The fixing angle 12 is fastened by inserting two through holes 12b through the shaft portions 17b of two first fasteners 17 that protrude from two receiving members 14 fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A, and screwing on second fasteners (nuts) 18. In this way, the fixing angle 12 and the receiving members 14 can be sandwiched between the heads 17a of the first fasteners 17 and the second fasteners 18, which are nuts, and the fixing angle 12 is detachably fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A.

[0049] Next, the rail members 40 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, a pair of rail members 40 are fixed on a pair of second support members 30. The material of the rail members 40 is not particularly limited, but for example, steel can be used. As shown in Figure 1, the rail members 40 include a main body 41 and a pair of rails (also called linear guide rails) 42 fixed to the upper part of the main body 41 using bolts or the like.

[0050] The trolley 90 of the robot arm 80 is slidably engaged with the rail 42. The rail member 40 is fixed to the second support member 30 via a rail fixing member 60. The rail fixing member 60 includes a mounting fixture (not shown) attached to the upper surface of the second support member 30 and a support plate (not shown) fixed to the mounting fixture.

[0051] Next, the structure of the robot arm 80 will be briefly described. As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the robot arm 80 is mounted on a trolley 90 that is placed on a rail member 40 and moves along the rail member 40. A cable 89 is connected to the trolley 90 to supply power for the operation of the robot arm 80. The robot arm 80 comprises a turntable 82 that is located on the trolley 90 and can rotate around an axis that extends in the vertical direction, and a base portion 83 that is located on the turntable 82 and extends upward.

[0052] Furthermore, the robot arm 80 includes a first arm 84 positioned on a base 83 and rotatable about an axis extending horizontally, and a second arm 85 connected to the first arm 84 and rotatable about an axis extending horizontally.

[0053] The second arm 85 is equipped with an arm body 86 that rotates along its axial direction, and a third arm 87 is rotatably attached to the tip of the arm body 86. A welding torch 88 is attached to the third arm 87, and the welding torch 88 is connected to a cable 89.

[0054] The robot arm 80 is moved to a predetermined position by the trolley 90, and by driving the turntable 82, the first arm 84, the second arm 85, and the third arm 87, the tip of the welding torch 88 is positioned at the desired location on the butt joint portion 1a of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B to perform welding. The robot arm 80 and the trolley 90 may be driven manually or automatically.

[0055] The operation of the support structure 10 of this embodiment, configured as described above, will be explained below. When attaching the robot arm 80 to the lower steel column 1A in order to weld the butt joint portion 1a of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B, first, the first support member 20 of the support structure 10 is fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A.

[0056] Specifically, the receiving members 14 that constitute the fixing unit 11 are fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A by welding. In this embodiment, two receiving members 14, 14 are arranged horizontally side by side on each outer surface 1b, but the number is not particularly limited as long as the first support member 20 can be stably fixed. The receiving member 14 has a space formed by two opposing parallel rising walls 14a, 14a and a connecting wall 14b that connects them, and a notch 15 is formed in the connecting wall 14b.

[0057] Here, the base end 17c of the shaft portion 17b is inserted into the notch 15 so that the head 17a of the first fastener (connecting bolt) 17 is accommodated in the space of the receiving member 14. As a result, the base end 17c abuts against the lower edge 15b of the notch 15, and the shaft portion 17b protrudes from the notch 15 along the direction normal to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A. In this way, the first fastener 17 is supported by the receiving member 14 via the notch 15 in a way that prevents rotation.

[0058] Next, the through-hole 12b of the fixing angle 12 is inserted through the shaft portion 17b of the first fastener 17, and the second fastener (nut) 18 is tightened onto the shaft portion 17b. This allows the fixing angle 12 and the receiving member 14 to be clamped between the head portion 17a of the first fastener 17 and the second fastener 18. This allows the fixing angle 12 to be fixed to the lower steel column 1A.

[0059] At this point, the fixing angle 12 is adjusted using the gap between the through hole 12b and the shaft portion 17b so that the fixing angle 12 is horizontal, and the second fastener 18 is tightened against the shaft portion 17b. Next, a bolt is inserted through the through hole 12a formed in the horizontal surface of the fixing angle 12 and the through hole 21b formed in the flange 22 of the first support member 20, and a nut is screwed on to fix the first support member 20 to the lower steel column 1A in a horizontal position with the bolt and nut 25. The other opposing outer surface 1b is also fixed to the first support member 20 in a horizontal position in the same manner.

[0060] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, two first support members 20 are fixed parallel to each other by the fixing unit 11 along direction A of the lower steel column 1A, sandwiching the lower steel column 1A horizontally. Subsequently, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, a pair of second support members 30, 30 are supported by the pair of first support members 20, 20 so as to sandwich the column 1 and extend in direction B, which intersects direction A.

[0061] Specifically, through holes 31, 31 of a pair of second support members 30, 30 are inserted through both ends of a pair of first support members 20, 20 fixed to the lower steel column 1A. The weight of the second support member 30 and the rail member 40 can be stably supported by a pair of support plates 32, 32 formed on both sides of the second support member 30 for each through hole 31. This allows the support plates 32, 32 of the pair of second support members 30, 30 to slide stably on the flanges 21 of the pair of first support members 20, 20. As a result, it becomes easier to select first mounting holes 21a and second mounting holes 33 that are positioned to match the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A from among a plurality of first mounting holes 21a, 21a, ... and a plurality of second mounting holes 33, 33, ..., and to align the selected first mounting holes 21a and second mounting holes 33. In this way, the connecting bolt 34 (fixing device) is inserted through the aligned first mounting hole 21a and second mounting hole 33, and the nut is tightened from the tip of the inserted connecting bolt 34 to support and fix the second support member 30 to the first support member 20.

[0062] Furthermore, by selecting the first mounting holes 21a and the second mounting holes 33 from the multiple second mounting holes 33 and the multiple first mounting holes 21a according to the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A, the distance from the lower steel column 1A to the first support member 20 and the distance from the lower steel column 1A to the second support member 30 can be set to appropriate distances. The rail members 40 may be fixed to the pair of second support members 30, 30 in advance, or the pair of rail members 40 may be fixed after each second support member 30 has been fixed.

[0063] In this way, after fixing the rail members 40 to each second support member 30 along direction B, the trolley 90 of the robot arm 80 is movably mounted on the pair of rail members 40. This allows the robot arm 80 to travel on the trolley 90 along the pair of rail members 40. The robot arm 80 travels along the pair of rail members 40 and can weld the butt joint portion 1a of the lower steel column 1A, joining the upper and lower divided lower steel columns 1A.

[0064] After or during the joining of the butt joint 1a, the temporary fixing jigs 3 attached to the four protrusions 2 are removed. After joining the butt joint 1a, the pair of first and second support members 20 and 30 constituting the support structure 10 are removed from the lower steel column 1A along with the robot arm 80 installed on the pair of rail members 40.

[0065] First, the robot arms 80, 80 are removed along with the trolley 90 installed on the pair of rail members 40, 40, and the pair of rail members 40, 40 fixed to the pair of second support members 30, 30 are removed. Next, the pair of second support members 30, 30 are removed from the pair of first support members 20, 20. The pair of second support members 30, 30 are then transported by hand using the handle 35.

[0066] Next, the pair of first support members 20, 20 fixed to the lower steel column 1A with the fixing unit 11 are removed. First, the multiple bolts and nuts 25 of the pair of fixing angles 12, 12 are loosened and the pair of first support members 20, 20 are removed. Then, the pair of second fasteners (nuts) 18, 18 are loosened and the fixing angle 12 is removed from the pair of first fasteners (connecting bolts) 17, 17. After this, the pair of first fasteners 17, 17 are removed from the notches 15 of the receiving member 14, leaving only the pair of welded receiving members 14, 14 on the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A.

[0067] In this embodiment, the fixing angle 12 is fixed by tightening a second fastener (nut) 18 onto a shaft portion 17b that protrudes from the notch 15 along the normal direction of the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A. The head 17a of the first fastener (connecting bolt) 17 that constitutes this shaft portion 17b is detachably locked to the receiving member 14. Therefore, it can be easily removed from the receiving member 14. In this way, there is no need to fix the member that protrudes in the normal direction of the outer surface of the lower steel column 1A to the lower steel column 1A by welding or the like to the extent that it can support the support member, and there is no need for removal work such as cutting such a member from the lower steel column 1A. As a result, the workability of attaching and detaching the robot arm 80 can be improved.

[0068] In the support structure 10 of this embodiment, a pair of second support members 30, 30 that support a pair of rail members 40, 40 on which the trolley 90 of the robot arm 80 travels are supported by a pair of first support members 20, 20 fixed to the outer surface of the lower steel column 1A, with the first support members inserted through the through holes 31. Thus, the support structure 10 does not have a structure in which a pair of second support members 30, 30 are stacked on top of a pair of first support members 20, 20, as in the conventional structure, so the height of the support structure 10 can be reduced and made compact. As a result, mechanical interference of the support members can be avoided in temporary scaffolding and the like.

[0069] Furthermore, by providing a reinforcing member 30B formed in the pair of second support members 30, 30 and encircling the periphery of the multiple through holes 31 through which the pair of first support members 20, 20 are inserted, the rigidity of the pair of second support members 30, 30 can be increased. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the pair of rail members, stabilize the running state of the two robot arms 80, 80, and improve the quality of the welding of the butt joint portion 1a.

[0070] Furthermore, the multiple through holes 31 in the pair of second support members 30, 30 are designed to extend horizontally so that their horizontal position can be adjusted while the pair of first support members 20, 20 are inserted through them. Therefore, even if the column 1 has a different cross-section, the support structure 10 of this embodiment can be attached to the lower steel column 1A.

[0071] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 shows the second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view of the main part, (b) is a right side view of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view of (a) along the DD line. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the main components of the mounting portion between the lower steel column and the first support member. Note that the support structure of this second embodiment is characterized by a difference in the support structure between the lower steel column and the first support member compared to the first embodiment described above. Other substantially equivalent components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted. In Figure 8, the rail member supported by the second support member is omitted. In Figure 9, only the front portion of the lower steel column is shown for the first support member, and the rear portion is omitted.

[0072] In Figures 8 and 9, in the support structure 10A of the second embodiment, the first support member 20 attached to the lower steel column 1A is attached via a bracket 70. The bracket 70 is constructed by welding together three angle members. Specifically, the bracket 70 includes a first fixing portion 71 that is fixed horizontally to the lower steel column 1A of the column 1 and extends in a first direction (direction A), and a pair of second fixing portions 72, 72 that extend from both sides of the first fixing portion 71 in the first direction in a direction intersecting the first direction (direction B), and are fixed with the first support member 20 placed on them. The second fixing portions 72, 72 are fixed to both ends of the first fixing portion 71 by welding.

[0073] The angle material constituting the first fixing portion 71 is detachably attached to the lower steel column 1A via a fixing unit 11, similar to the fixing angle 12 in the first embodiment. The fixing unit 11 includes a detachable unit 13 for detachably attaching the first fixing portion 71 to the lower steel column 1A. Therefore, through holes are formed in the vertical surface of the first fixing portion 71 through which connecting bolts constituting a connector 16 for fixing the first fixing portion 71 to the receiving member 14 of the detachable unit 13 pass. The pair of second fixing portions 72, 72 have a plurality of through holes 73 formed along the longitudinal direction on the upper surface of the angle material for fixing the first support member 20. The flange 22 of the first support member 20 has a plurality of through holes 21c formed so as to communicate with the plurality of through holes 73, through which bolts and nuts 74 can be inserted.

[0074] The support structure 10A of the second embodiment also provides the same effects and advantages as the support structure 10 described in the first embodiment. That is, the pair of second support members 30, 30 are supported with the pair of first support members 20, 20 fixed to the outer surface of the lower steel column 1A inserted through their through holes 31, so the height of the support structure 10A can be reduced and made compact. Therefore, mechanical interference of the support members can be avoided in temporary scaffolding and the like.

[0075] Furthermore, the bracket 70 that supports the first support member 20 is fixed with the first support member 20 resting on a pair of second fixing parts 72, 72 spaced apart at the first fixing part 71. Therefore, the first support member 20 can be supported at two points spaced apart at the first fixing part 71, which reduces the bending stress acting on the first support member 20 and allows the first support member 20 to be securely held to the lower steel column 1A via the bracket 70.

[0076] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as described in the claims. The present invention allows for adding the configuration of one embodiment to the configuration of another embodiment, substituting the configuration of one embodiment with another embodiment, or deleting a part of the configuration of one embodiment.

[0077] For example, although an example is shown in which a reinforcing member encircling the periphery of the through-hole 31 of the second support member 30 is attached to the inner surface of the tubular body in which the through-hole is formed, the reinforcing member may also be attached to the outer surface of the tubular body. Also, although an example using an angle material as the bracket in the second embodiment is shown, it may also be made of an H-beam. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1A: Lower steel column, 1B: Upper steel column, 1a: Butt joint, 1b, 1c: Outer surface, 10, 10A: Support structure, 11: Fixing unit, 12: Fixing angle (fixing member), 13: Detachable unit, 14: Receiving device, 15: Notch, 16: Connector, 17: First fastener (connecting bolt), 17a: Hexagonal head (head), 17b: Shaft, 17c: Base end, 18: Second fastener (nut), 20: First support member, 30: Second support member, 30A: Tubular body, 30B: Reinforcement plate (reinforcement member), 31: Through hole, 32: Support plate, 33: Second mounting hole, 34: Connecting bolt, 40: Rail member, 70: Bracket, 71: First fixing part, 72: Second fixing part, 80: Robot arm, 90: Trolley

Claims

1. A support structure for supporting a robot arm used for welding the butt joint between an upper steel column and a lower steel column on the lower steel column, A pair of first support members extending in a horizontal first direction and attached to the lower steel column so as to sandwich the lower steel column, A pair of second support members extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction and is provided between each pair of first support members so as to sandwich the lower steel column, It comprises rail members that extend in the second direction and are attached to each of the second support members, and which guide the movement of the robot arm, Each of the aforementioned second support members has a through hole formed therein through which each of the aforementioned first support members is inserted. The support structure is characterized in that the pair of second support members are supported by the pair of first support members, each of which is inserted through the through hole.

2. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the second support member is provided with a reinforcing member that encircles the periphery of the through hole.

3. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the through-hole is an elongated hole extending horizontally to accommodate a pair of support members attached to the lower steel column, each having a different cross-sectional size.

4. Multiple first mounting holes for attaching the second support member are formed on both sides of the first support member along the first direction. The second support member has a support portion that protrudes outward from the upper edge of the elongated hole and is supported by the first support member. The support portion has a plurality of second mounting holes formed along the second direction. The support structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the second support member is attached to the first support member by inserting fasteners into the first and second mounting holes, which are positioned to match the size of the lower steel column, among the plurality of first mounting holes and plurality of second mounting holes.

5. The first support member is attached to the lower steel column via a bracket, The bracket is fixed to the lower steel column and has a first fixing portion that extends in the first direction, The support structure according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of second fixing portions extending from both sides of the first fixing portion in the first direction in a direction intersecting the first direction, and fixed with the first support member on top.

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