Support construction

Abstract

To provide a support structure low in height, compact in a height direction, and capable of easily preventing mechanical interference of a support member or a reinforcement member at a temporary scaffold or the like.SOLUTION: A support structure 10 comprises: a pair of support members 20 fitted to a lower steel column 1A so as to extend in a first direction A which is horizontal and hold a column 1 therebetween; a pair of reinforcement members 30 passed for each support member so as to extend in a second direction B intersecting the first direction and hold the column 1 therebetween; and a rail member 40 extending in the second direction and fitted for each reinforcement member to guide traveling of a robot arm 80. The reinforcement members are provided with a flat plate-like plate body 31 fitted to the pair of support members, and a pair of reinforcement ribs 32 rising from the plate body 31 to the rail member 40 side and extending in the second direction B on both sides of the rail member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, at a construction site or the like, the butt joint portion between the upper steel column and the 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 support members and supported by the first support members, and a rail member fixed along the second support members. According to this support structure, a welding robot arm can be attached to lower steel columns of different sizes, and the upper steel column and the lower steel column 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, peripheral 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 makes the vertical mounting range of the support structure more compact and is less likely to interfere with other steel frame members, peripheral equipment, and temporary scaffolding. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In view of the above problems, the support structure according to the present invention is a support structure for supporting a robot arm used for welding a butt joint between an upper steel column and a lower steel column on the lower steel column, comprising: a pair of 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 reinforcing members extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction and stretched across each of the pair of support members so as to sandwich the lower steel column; and rail members extending in the second direction and attached to each of the reinforcing members to guide the movement of the robot arm, wherein the reinforcing members comprise a flat plate body attached to the pair of support members, and a pair of reinforcing ribs rising from the plate body toward the rail member and extending along the second direction on both sides of the rail member.

[0008] According to the support structure of the present invention configured as described above, a pair of reinforcing members are placed between each pair of support members so as to sandwich the column, and a rail member that guides the movement of the robot arm is attached to each reinforcing member. Here, the reinforcing member is reinforced by a pair of reinforcing ribs that rise from the plate body toward the rail member and extend along the second direction on both sides of the rail member.

[0009] In this way, the rail members are attached to each pair of reinforcing members that are placed on a pair of support members, and are supported at an elevation equal to the thickness of the flat plate body of the reinforcing member, allowing the robot arm's travel position to be set low. This reduces vibrations during the robot arm's travel, and stable travel is possible even when using thin reinforcing members consisting of a flat plate body and a pair of reinforcing ribs rising from both sides of the rail member. Furthermore, the structure of the reinforcing members can be simplified, weight can be reduced, and attachment to the support members can be made easier.

[0010] In a more preferred embodiment, a plurality of first through holes are formed on both sides of the support member along the first direction for attaching the reinforcing member, the plate body has protruding portions that extend outward from the pair of reinforcing ribs, and a plurality of second through holes are formed in the protruding portions along the second direction, and the reinforcing member is fixed to the support member by inserting fasteners into the first and second through holes at positions corresponding to the size of the lower steel column from among the plurality of first and second through holes.

[0011] According to this embodiment, the first and second through-holes of the first support member and the second support member can be selected from a plurality of first through-holes of the first support member and a plurality of second through-holes of the second support member to match the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column, and the reinforcing member can be fixed to the support member by inserting a fastener through the selected first and second through-holes. 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 a desired mounting position.

[0012] In a more preferred embodiment, a weight-reducing portion is formed in the plate body at least between the pair of support members. According to this embodiment, by forming a weight-reducing portion in the plate body constituting the reinforcing member, the weight of the reinforcing member can be reduced, making it easier to transport the reinforcing member. Furthermore, both sides of the portion of the plate body located between the pair of support members are supported by each support member in a cantilevered manner, and a pair of reinforcing ribs are also formed in this portion along the second direction. Therefore, even if a weight-reducing portion is provided in the portion located between the pair of support members, sufficient bending rigidity and torsional rigidity of the reinforcing member can be ensured.

[0013] In a more preferred embodiment, the reinforcing member is provided with handles for transport at both ends, the length of the overhang along the second direction is shorter than the length of the rail member, and the handles are fixed to the overhang along the side surface of the rail member such that a gap for gripping the handles is formed between the handles and the reinforcing member.

[0014] In this embodiment, a gap for gripping the handle is formed between the handle and the reinforcing member along the side of the rail member, allowing two people to easily transport the reinforcing member by inserting their hands into this gap. This makes the reinforcing member lighter and simplifies the process of attaching the reinforcing member to the support member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the height of the support structure can be reduced, making it more compact in the height direction, and it becomes easier to avoid mechanical interference with temporary scaffolding and the like. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a welding robot arm attached to a lower steel column using one embodiment of the support structure according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing the main parts of the support structure shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the disassembled structures of the support member and the fixing member of the support structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 schematically shows the reinforcing member of the support structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a sectional view taken along the C-C line of (a), and (c) is a plan view of (a). [Figure 5] It is a perspective view of the state where the rail member is fixed to the reinforcing member shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] (a) is a sectional view taken along the D-D line of FIG. 5, and (b) is a sectional view of a modified example of the reinforcing member. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 shows the support portion of the lower steel column of the support member of the support structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the support portion between the support member and the reinforcing member. (a) is a front view of the main part, and (b) is a sectional view taken along the E-E line of (a). [Figure 8] FIG. 16 shows the details of the support portion shown in FIG. 7. (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 9] It is a perspective view of the disassembled state of the main part configuration of the support portion shown in FIG. 8.

Embodiment for Carrying out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the support structure according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state where two robot arms are attached to the lower steel column of a column composed of a lower steel column and an upper steel column using the support structure according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the main part of the support structure shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, at a construction site or the like, a welding robot arm 80 is used to weld the butting portion 1a between the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B. The welding robot arm 80 is supported by the support structure 10. The column 1 is composed of a lower steel column 1A and an upper steel column 1B, and the butting portion 1a is welded and integrated.

[0019] The outer surfaces of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B are composed of four outer surfaces, namely, the opposing (opposite-side) outer surfaces 1b, 1b and the outer surfaces 1c, 1c formed therebetween, and are formed by four flat portions and four curved portions. At predetermined positions on the flat portions of the outer surfaces 1b, 1c of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B, a plurality (here, four) of protruding pieces 2 (also referred to as erection pieces) are welded. The protruding piece 2 is provided for temporarily fixing the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B adjacent to each other vertically. A temporary fixing jig 3 is attached to two protruding pieces 2 arranged vertically.

[0020] The temporary fixing jig 3 extends in the vertical direction, the upper end portion thereof is fastened to the upper protruding piece 2 using a bolt 4 or the like, and the lower end portion thereof is fastened to the lower protruding piece 2 using a bolt 4 or the like. The temporary fixing jig 3 may be configured to be adjustable in the distance between two protruding pieces 2 arranged vertically, although detailed description thereof is omitted here. Thereby, it is possible to adjust the gap between the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B, and it is also possible to adjust the inclination of the upper steel column 1B. The temporary fixing jig 3 is removed from the protruding piece 2 when the welding of the butting portion 1a of the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B is completed, or even during the welding of the butting portion 1a, when the joining strength between the lower steel column 1A and the upper steel column 1B becomes large enough to support the building under construction.

[0021] Next, the support structure 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. The support structure 10 has a structure in which a support member 20 that supports a welding robot arm 80 is detachably supported on the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A via a fixing unit 11, and a reinforcing member 30 and a rail member 40 are supported by the support member 20.

[0022] The support structure 10 is a support structure that supports a robot arm 80 used for welding the butting portion 1a between columns 1 composed of the upper steel column 1B and the lower steel column 1A on the lower steel column. The support structure 10 includes a pair of support members 20, 20, a pair of reinforcing members 30, 30, and a pair of rail members 40, 40.

[0023] The pair of 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 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.

[0024] The pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 extend in a horizontal second direction (direction of arrow B) that intersects the first direction, and are straddled by each pair of support members 20, 20 so as to sandwich the column 1. Specifically, the pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and are supported across the pair of support members 20, 20 so as to sandwich the other opposing outer surfaces 1c, 1c of the lower steel column 1A.

[0025] Each rail member 40 extends in the second direction and is attached to each reinforcing member, guiding the movement of each robot arm 80. Specifically, a pair of rail members 40, 40 are fixed on a pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 and guide the two robot arms 80, 80 in the second direction (direction of arrow B).

[0026] Next, the detailed structure of the support member 20 will be described with reference to Figure 3. The material and cross-sectional shape of the support member 20 are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of weight reduction, an aluminum alloy is used here, although steel or resin (plastic) may also be used. As shown in Figure 3, the 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 a predetermined direction (direction of arrow A when attached to the lower steel column 1A). Multiple first through holes (also called through-holes) 21a for fastening reinforcing members 30, 30 are provided on both sides of the flange 21 in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow A). Since multiple first through holes 21a are provided along the longitudinal direction of the flange 21, it is possible to adjust the fastening position of the reinforcing members 30, 30 to the flange 21 in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow A). Furthermore, the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A may be indicated around the first through-hole 21a to match the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A used for each first through-hole 21a. In addition, the set distance from the reinforcing member 30 to the lower steel column 1A may be indicated around the first through-hole 21a. This allows the reinforcing member 30 to be fixed to the lower steel column 1A in an appropriate position.

[0027] 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 are long in the longitudinal direction of the flange 22, which allows for fine adjustment of the fastening position of the fixing angles 12 in the longitudinal direction of the flange 22 (direction of arrow A).

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the fixing angle 12, which is a fixing member constituting the fixing unit 11, has the function of supporting the 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 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.

[0029] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, which will be described later, the fixed angle 12 is fastened by inserting two through holes 12b into 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 head 17a of the first fasteners 17 and the second fasteners 18, which are nuts, can clamp the fixed angle 12 and the receiving members 14, and the fixed angle 12 is detachably fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A.

[0030] Next, the detailed structure of the reinforcing member 30 will be described with reference to Figure 4. The material and cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing 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 4, the reinforcing member 30 comprises a flat plate body 31 extending along the second direction (arrow B direction when attached to the lower steel column 1A), and a pair of reinforcing ribs 32, 32 that extend along the second direction (arrow B direction), rise from the upper surface of the plate body 31 towards the rail member 40, and extend along the second direction on both sides of the rail member 40, which will be described later.

[0031] The plate body 31 is made of a metal plate material with a thickness of approximately 6 mm, and the reinforcing ribs 32 are made of a metal plate material with a thickness of approximately 4.5 mm. The pair of reinforcing ribs 32, 32 are joined to the plate body 31 in a parallel state by welding or the like so that they are perpendicular to each other. The plate body 31 has protruding portions 33, 33 that extend outwards from the pair of erected reinforcing ribs 32, 32. Multiple second through holes 34 are formed in the protruding portions 33 at equal intervals along the second direction B for support and fixing to the support members 20, 20. The reinforcing member 30 is attached to the support members 20, 20 by inserting connecting bolts 34a, which will be described later, through the second through holes 34 and the first through holes 21a of the support member 20. By selecting multiple second through holes 34, the spacing between the pair of support members 20, 20 can be adjusted to match the size of the lower steel column 1A, and the reinforcing member 30 can be attached accordingly.

[0032] Thus, the reinforcing member 30 extends along the second direction, and a pair of parallel reinforcing ribs 32, 32 are formed on the upper surface of the plate body 31, with a gap 32a between them in the center. This increases the bending rigidity and torsional rigidity of the reinforcing member 30 in the vertical direction. Consequently, even when a heavy robot arm 80 travels along the rail member 40 supported by the reinforcing member 30, it does not deform and can travel in a stable state.

[0033] Furthermore, the plate body 31 has multiple rectangular cutouts 35A and 35B formed within the spacing 32a between the pair of reinforcing ribs 32, 32. The cutouts 35A are formed between the portions 38 of the plate body 31 where the pair of support members 20, 20 are supported. The cutouts 35B are formed at the ends 37 on both sides of the plate body 31. In this example, there are three cutouts 35A located in the central part and two cutouts 35B located near both ends of the plate body 31. This makes it possible to lighten the reinforcing member 30, and thus facilitates the transport of the reinforcing member 30 when attaching and detaching it from the pair of support members 20, 20. Of the plate body 31, both sides of the portion 31a located between the pair of support members 20, 20 are supported and fixed to each support member 20, 20, and furthermore, a pair of reinforcing ribs 32, 32 are also formed in this portion 31a along the second direction B. Therefore, even if a weight-reducing section 35A is provided in the portion 31a located between the pair of support members 20, 20, sufficient bending and torsional rigidity of the reinforcing member 30 can be ensured. Furthermore, since bending stress or torsional stress is less likely to act on the ends 37 on both sides of the plate body 31, even if a weight-reducing section 35B is provided on the ends 37, it will not be affected by the loads and moments acting on the robot arm 80 when it travels on the trolley 90 during welding.

[0034] In this embodiment, the plate body 31 has multiple second through holes 34 formed at equal intervals along the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow B) in the section 35F between the weight-reducing cutouts 35B at both ends and the weight-reducing cutout 35A in the center, along the second direction, for fixing the reinforcing member 30 to the support member 20. Therefore, by placing the reinforcing member 30 on the support member 20, selecting one of the multiple second through holes 34, inserting a connecting bolt 34a through the first through hole 21a of the support member 20, and tightening a nut, the reinforcing member 30 can be supported and fixed to the support member 20 in accordance with the lower steel column 1A of different sizes.

[0035] Handles 36, 36 for transport are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the plate body 31 that constitutes the reinforcing member 30. The handles 36 are U-shaped members in plan view, formed by bending a metal rod. Both ends of the handles 36 are fixed to the protruding portions 33, 33 of a pair of reinforcing ribs 32, 32 erected on the plate body 31. The handles 36 extend outward along the second direction B from the end of the plate body 31 and are bent at the tip to form a single continuous gripping portion.

[0036] As shown in Figure 5, the length of the protruding portion 33 of the plate body 31 that secures the handles 36, 36 along the second direction is set to be shorter by a distance L at both ends than the length of the rail member 40 supported by the reinforcing member 30. That is, the total length of the rail member 40 in the longitudinal direction is 2L longer than the total length of the reinforcing member 30. Furthermore, the handles 36 are fixed to the protruding portion 33 such that a gap S for gripping the handles 36 is formed between the handles 36 and the reinforcing member 30 along the side surface of the rail member 40.

[0037] Here, a gap S for gripping the handle 36 is formed between the handle 36 and the reinforcing member 30 along the side of the rail member 40. By inserting a hand into this gap S and gripping the handle 36, it becomes easier to transport the reinforcing member 30 and the rail member 40.

[0038] Furthermore, if the handle 36 can be fixed to the protruding portion of the plate body 31 by welding or the like, the total length in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 40 and the total length in the longitudinal direction of the plate body 31A of the reinforcing member 30A may be set to be the same.

[0039] Next, the pair of rail members 40, 40 will be described. As shown in Figures 1, 5, etc., the pair of rail members 40, 40 are fixed to the pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 via fasteners 47. The material of the rail members 40 is not particularly limited, but for example, steel can be used. As shown in Figures 5 and 6(a), the rail member 40 comprises a main body 41 and a pair of rails (also called linear guide rails) 42, 42 fixed to the upper part of the main body 41 using bolts or the like. The trolley 90 of the robot arm 80 is slidably engaged with the pair of rails 42, 42. The rail members 40, 40 are fixed on the plate body 31 of the reinforcing members 30, 30 within the space 32a between the two reinforcing ribs 32, 32.

[0040] Here, the nut 47b of the fastener 47 is embedded in the main body 41, and the rail member 40 can be fixed to the reinforcing member 30 by inserting the bolt 47a of the fastener 47 through the insertion hole 39a formed in the plate body 31 of the reinforcing member 30 and screwing it into the nut 47b. The insertion hole 39a is a stepped insertion hole in which a receiving recess 39b is formed to accommodate the head of the bolt 47a when the bolt 47a is fastened to the nut 47b. As a result the bolt 47a does not protrude from the plate body 31, so that the bolt 47a does not mechanically interfere with the support member 20 when attaching the reinforcing member 30 to the support member 20.

[0041] In this way, the reinforcing members 30, 30, with the help of a pair of reinforcing ribs 32, 32, have their bending and torsional rigidity increased against the loads and moments acting on the trolley 90 of the robot arm 80 when it is traveling. When the rail member 40 is supported by the support member 20 via the reinforcing members 30, the effective height of the reinforcing members 30 is only increased by the thickness of the plate body 31. As a result, the overall height of the support structure 10 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to make the structure more compact in the height direction, making it easier to avoid mechanical interference with temporary scaffolding and the like.

[0042] Here, a modified example of the reinforcing member will be described with reference to Figure 6(b). Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the modified reinforcing member. In this modified reinforcing member 30B, the flat plate body 31B extends to the inside of the pair of reinforcing ribs 32B, 32B, and the pair of reinforcing ribs 32B, 32B and the pair of protruding portions 33B, 33B are formed from a pair of angle materials. The pair of angle materials are joined to the flat plate body 31B, and second through holes 34, 34 are formed in the pair of protruding portions 33B, 33B. Even in this modified reinforcing member 30B, the rail member 40 can be supported with high rigidity, and together with the rail member 40, the robot arm 80 can be driven in a stable state.

[0043] The mounting structure of the support members 20 will be described below with reference to Figures 7 to 9. In this embodiment, the support members 20, 20 are detachably fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A via a fixing unit 11. The fixing unit 11 includes a fixing angle 12 as a fixing member for fixing the pair of support members 20, 20, and a detachable unit 13 for detachably attaching the fixing angle 12 to the lower steel column 1A. Therefore, the pair of support members 20, 20 are detachably fixed to two opposing outer surfaces 1b, 1b of the lower steel column 1A by the two fixing units 11, 11. The fixing angle 12 is fixed so that the upper support surface that supports the support members 20 is horizontal.

[0044] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, 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 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 in plan view by two opposing rising walls 14a and a connecting wall 14b that connects the two rising walls 14a to each other. In this embodiment, the receiver 14 is fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A such that a pair of rising walls 14a, 14a are arranged vertically.

[0045] As shown in Figures 8(b) and 9, the receiving member 14 has a notch 15 formed in the connecting wall 14b. The notch 15 is U-shaped. The pair of receiving members 14 each have an opening that faces outward in the horizontal direction when viewed from the side, as shown in Figure 8(b). That is, the openings of the receiving members 14 face opposite sides in the horizontal direction. This makes it easier to insert the first fastener 17 into the notch 15 of the receiving member 14 from the opening, and the load acting from the fastener 17 can be received by the lower edge 15a. The edge 15a of the notch 15 is formed continuously along the horizontal direction from this opening, and as will be described later, the first fastener 17 abuts against the bottom edge 15b. In this embodiment, the openings of the receiving members 14 face opposite sides, but the openings of the receiving members 14 may face each other. Also, the openings of the receiving members 14 may be open at the top.

[0046] The connector 16 is composed of a first fastener 17 and a second fastener 18, which in this embodiment are, for 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.

[0047] 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 being screwed 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 8 and 9) 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.

[0048] In this embodiment, the head 17a of the first fastener 17 is detachably locked to the receiving member 14 so as to restrain the 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 lower edge portion 15a and the bottom edge portion 15b of the notch 15.

[0049] More specifically, as shown in Figure 8, 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.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, 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.

[0051] The receiving members 14 configured in this way are arranged in pairs horizontally on the opposing outer surfaces 1b, 1b of the lower steel column 1A, spaced apart, and 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.

[0052] The pair of receiving members 14, 14 are fixed to the outer surface 1b of the lower steel column 1A such that the openings of their respective notches 15 face outward horizontally. 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 its shaft portion 17b enters the notch 15. Therefore, 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 15a of the notch 15.

[0053] Next, the structure of the welding robot arm 80 will be briefly described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the robot arm 80 is mounted on a rail member 40 and on a trolley 90 that travels 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 vertically, and a base portion 83 that is located on the turntable 82 and extends upward.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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 pair of support members 20, 20 of the support structure 10 are fixed to the outer surfaces 1b, 1b of the lower steel column 1A.

[0058] 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 are arranged side by side horizontally on each outer surface 1b, but the number is not particularly limited as long as the support member 20 can be stably fixed. The receiving member 14 has a space formed by two opposing parallel rising walls 14a and a connecting wall 14b that connects them, and a notch 15 is formed in the connecting wall 14b.

[0059] 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 15a 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] At this point, the gap between the through-hole 12b and the shaft portion 17b is used to adjust the fixing angle 12 so that it 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 support member 20, and a nut is screwed in to fix the 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 support member 20 in a horizontal position in the same manner.

[0062] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, two 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.

[0063] Next, before fixing each reinforcing member 30, 30 to the pair of support members 20, 20, the pair of rail members 40, 40 are fixed to the pair of reinforcing members 30, 30. Specifically, the main body 41 is fixed on top of the reinforcing member 30, and the pair of rails 42, 42 are fixed to the reinforcing member 30 together with the main body 41.

[0064] Next, a pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 are placed on both ends of a pair of support members 20, 20 fixed to the lower steel column 1A. The plate bodies 31, 31 of the pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 are slid onto the flanges 21 of the pair of support members 20, 20. At this time, from among the multiple first through holes 21a, 21a, ... and multiple second through holes 34, 34, ..., first through holes 21a and second through holes 34 that are in positions that match the size of the cross-section of the lower steel column 1A are selected, and the selected first through holes 21a and second through holes 24 are aligned.

[0065] In this way, the connecting bolt 34a (fixing device) is inserted through the aligned first through hole 21a and second through hole 24, and the nut is tightened from the tip side of the inserted connecting bolt 34a (see Figure 7(a)), thereby fixing the reinforcing member 30 to the support member 20. Furthermore, since the rail member 40 is pre-attached to the reinforcing member 30, the rail member 40 can be attached to the pair of support members 20, 20 via the reinforcing member 30.

[0066] In this way, after fixing the rail members 40 together with each reinforcing 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, 40. The robot arm 80 travels along the pair of rail members 40, 40, welds the butt joint portion 1a of the lower steel column 1A, and joins the upper and lower divided lower steel column 1A.

[0067] After or during the joining of the butt joint 1a, the temporary fixing jigs 3 attached to the four protrusions 2 are removed. After the joining of the butt joint 1a, the pair of support members 20, 20 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.

[0068] First, the robot arms 80, 80 are removed along with the trolley 90 that is mounted on the pair of rail members 40, 40, and the pair of rail members 40, 40 that are fixed to the pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 are removed. Next, the pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 are removed from the pair of support members 20, 20. The pair of reinforcing members 30, 30 are then transported by hand using the handles 36, 36.

[0069] Next, the pair of 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 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.

[0070] In this embodiment, the fixing angle 12 is secured 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. As a result, the workability of attaching and detaching the robot arm 80 can be improved.

[0071] In the support structure 10 of this embodiment, a pair of reinforcing 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 support members 20, 20 fixed to the outer surface of the lower steel column 1A, with the plate body 31 sandwiched between them. Thus, the support structure 10 is not a structure in which a pair of taller second support members are stacked on top of a pair of support members, as shown in the conventional Patent Document 1, so the height of the support structure 10 can be reduced and made compact. As a result, mechanical interference between support members and reinforcing members can be avoided in temporary scaffolding and the like. In addition, because the height of the support structure 10 can be made compact, the movement of the robot arm 80 can be stabilized even if the reinforcing members extending in the second direction are made thin, and the quality of welding at the butt joint can be improved.

[0072] 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. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 1: Column, 1A: Lower steel column, 1B: Upper steel column, 1a: Butt joint, 1b, 1c: Outer surface, 10: 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 part, 17c: Base end, 18: Second Fasteners (nuts), 20: Support members, 21a: First through-holes, 30, 30A, 30B: Reinforcement members, 31, 31B: Plate body, 32, 32B: Reinforcement ribs, 33, 33B: Overhangs, 34: Second through-holes, 34a: Connecting bolts (fixtures), 35, 35a~35e: Lightweight cutouts, 36: Handles, 40: Rail members, 80: Robot arms, 90: Trolleys

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 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 reinforcing members extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction and is provided across each pair of 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 reinforcing members, and that guide the movement of the robot arm, The reinforcing member comprises a flat plate body attached to the pair of support members, A support structure characterized by comprising: a pair of reinforcing ribs that rise from the plate body toward the rail member and extend along the second direction on both sides of the rail member.

2. Multiple first through holes are formed on both sides of the support member along the first direction for attaching the reinforcing member. The plate body has protruding portions that extend outward from the pair of reinforcing ribs, and a plurality of second through holes are formed in the protruding portions along the second direction. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing member is fixed to the support member by inserting fasteners into the first and second through holes, among the plurality of first through holes and the plurality of second through holes, at positions corresponding to the size of the lower steel column.

3. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that a weight-reducing portion is formed between at least the pair of support members of the plate body.

4. Handles for transport are provided at both ends of the reinforcing member. The length of the overhang along the second direction is shorter than the length of the rail member. The support structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the handle is fixed to the protruding portion such that a gap for gripping the handle is formed between the handle and the reinforcing member along the side surface of the rail member.

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