Automatic leveling robot

Abstract

To develop a floor finishing robot that can perform finishing work according to the properties of the poured concrete surface.SOLUTION: There is provided a motor-driven floor finishing robot that performs work to level poured concrete surfaces, including a trowel device having a trowel rotating shaft and a blade attached to the trowel rotating shaft, and a blade control device that controls the inclination of the blade. The blade control device includes an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the inclination of the blade and a controller that operates the adjustment mechanism.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a working robot for leveling a floor surface on which concrete has been placed.

Background Art

[0002] When concrete is placed for a floor slab, troweling is performed to finish it flat. Manually troweling the floor surface of a large building while bending down is a strenuous task, and it is not easy to secure craftsmen. Some equipment for troweling work has been developed. The applicant has previously proposed, as Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 7129873), a leveling work robot capable of automatic driving, equipped with a rotary blade that combines leveling work and movement.

[0003] Patent Document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022-81216) discloses a working device 10 that performs a finishing operation on the upper surface 92 while traveling on the upper surface 92 of a floor slab 90 after leveling work, markers 102A, 102B installed around the work target area, an imaging device 112 provided on the working device 10, and a control device that grasps the self-position of the working device 10 based on an image including at least one of the markers 102A and 102B imaged by the imaging device 112 and drives the working device 10 along a working path. A finishing work system 100 has been proposed. Patent Document 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-123897) discloses a floor concrete mirror finishing device that images the state of the floor surface 1 before and after the mirror finishing operation of the floor surface 1 by a trowel pressing mechanism 21 with a hyperspectral camera 30 and determines the completion timing of the mirror finishing operation from the difference in the reflection intensity of the floor surface 1 before and after the trowel pressing operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0005] The present invention aims to develop a floor finishing robot that can perform finishing work according to the properties of the poured concrete surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This invention develops a floor finishing robot that can control the angle of the trowel blade during leveling work to perform floor finishing according to the condition of the poured concrete. The gist of this invention is as follows. 1. A motor-driven floor finishing robot that performs leveling work on the surface of poured concrete, A trowel device having a trowel rotation shaft and a blade attached to the trowel rotation shaft, It is equipped with a blade control device that controls the tilt of the blade, A floor finishing robot characterized by a blade control device that includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the blade's tilt and a controller for operating the adjustment mechanism. 2. The adjustment mechanism for adjusting the blade's tilt has an adjustment motor, The floor finishing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller controls the adjustment motor. 3. The floor finishing robot according to 2., characterized in that the adjustment mechanism for adjusting the blade tilt comprises a vertical movement means that can move up and down along the trowel rotation axis of the trowel device, a blade arm provided on the blade axis, and a connecting link that connects the vertical movement means (plate) and the blade arm, and an adjustment motor drives the vertical movement means. 4. It is equipped with a concrete detection sensor that detects the condition of the poured concrete surface. The floor finishing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that it controls the tilt of the blade based on detection information from a concrete detection sensor. 5. The floor finishing robot according to 4, characterized in that the concrete detection sensor is an elasticity detection sensor, a vibration detection sensor, a laser distance sensor, etc.

[0007] The present invention is characterized by the following configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] 1. The present invention has developed a floor finishing robot that can perform floor finishing according to the condition of the poured concrete by controlling the angle of the trowel blade during leveling work. Depending on the progress of concrete pouring, the hardening state and roughness (unevenness) of the concrete may change during trowel finishing. By remotely controlling an adjustment motor to adjust the blade's tilt while the robot is operating, it is possible to adjust the blade's tilt and perform finishing treatment that responds immediately to the condition of the concrete. 2. By controlling the blade's tilt with a mechanism that moves it up and down along the trowel's rotation axis, the blade's tilt can be controlled without being affected by the rotation axis's drive. In particular, the up and down mechanism is provided by connecting a plate located outside the trowel's rotation axis to a blade arm located on the blade's axis with a connecting link, allowing the blade's tilt to be adjusted according to the plate's up and down movement. This mechanism allows multiple blades to be braked in the same way by moving a single plate up and down. 3. The blade's tilt can be controlled based on detection information from a sensor that detects the properties of the concrete surface being poured, allowing for floor finishing tailored to the concrete's condition. The detection sensor can be an elasticity sensor, vibration sensor, or laser distance sensor, which numerically evaluates the hardening state of the concrete surface. Based on this numerical value, the trowel rotation axis of the trowel device is controlled, and the angle of the rotating blade is adjusted via the trowel rotation axis. Furthermore, the concrete surface can be quantitatively finished to a predetermined degree of smoothness based on numerical information from the elasticity sensor, vibration sensor, or laser distance sensor. 4. The floor finishing robot, which performs leveling and travel, makes contact with the poured concrete using a rotating blade that is a nearly horizontal flat plate. In the initial hardening stage when the poured concrete begins to harden, subtle differences in height and surface roughness create differences in resistance to the blade. Differences in the degree of concrete hardening result in differences in resistance to the left and right rotating blades, causing meandering travel and irregularities in the leveling work. In this invention, the softness and surface roughness of the concrete can be detected and the tilt of the blade can be adjusted, so travel is stabilized and uneven leveling and meandering travel can be reduced. As a result, the quality of the floor finish can be improved and the floor finishing work can be shortened. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of a floor finishing robot [Figure 2] Schematic diagram of a trowel device [Figure 3] Schematic diagram of the lower cross-sectional structure of the trowel device. [Figure 4] Schematic diagram of the blade [Figure 5] Schematic diagram of the blade fin [Figure 6] A schematic diagram showing an example in which a sensor for detecting the surface properties of concrete is installed at the bottom of the trowel device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] An electric leveling robot for finishing poured concrete surfaces equipped with multiple trowel devices, wherein each trowel device has a rotating shaft and multiple blades attached to the rotating shaft, the tilt and rotation speed of the rotating shaft of the trowel device are controllable, and the robot is an automatic leveling robot that moves automatically while performing leveling work along a set route of the rotating shaft of the trowel device, with leveling control and travel control performed by controlling the rotation speed and tilt, was proposed in Japanese Patent No. 7129873. The present invention proposes a floor finishing robot provided with blade control, which can adjust the inclination of the blade during the finishing operation and perform the finishing operation according to the hardness and waviness of the placed concrete on the previously proposed floor finishing robot.

[0011] The present invention is a motor-driven floor finishing robot that levels the placed concrete surface. It includes a trowel device having a trowel rotation shaft and a blade attached to the trowel rotation shaft, and has a blade control device for controlling the inclination of the blade. The blade control device includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the blade and a controller for operating the adjustment mechanism.

[0012] The mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the blade is provided along the rotation axis of the trowel device. The up-and-down movement means is connected to the arm provided on the blade axis by a connecting means such as a link. By raising and lowering the up-and-down means, the arm of the blade is swung, and accordingly, the axis of the blade is rotated to adjust the inclination of the blade. For example, the up-and-down means is a mechanism that moves up and down along the rotation axis of the trowel device. The up-and-down movement can be provided with an adjustment motor, and the adjustment motor can be controlled and operated from the controller. As a means for driving the up-and-down means from the adjustment motor, means such as a worm gear structure can be adopted. And as the up-and-down means, if a plate is used and a connection link for connecting to the arm of each blade is provided on a single plate, the inclination of each blade can be moved by the same amount simultaneously.

[0013] In addition, the present invention provides a concrete detection sensor for detecting the properties of the concrete surface, and controls the blade control device based on the detection information. As the concrete detection sensor, an elastic detection sensor, a vibration detection sensor, a laser distance sensor, etc. can be used. The information of these sensors can be displayed on the controller, and the controller can be operated to control the inclination of the blade.

[0014] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a floor finishing robot. The basic configuration of this floor finishing robot is the same as that of the floor finishing robot previously proposed in Japanese Patent No. 7129873. This floor finishing robot has the following basic features: It is an automatic leveling robot that moves automatically while performing leveling work along a set route. Furthermore, it is an automatic leveling robot that is equipped with a gyro sensor to correct rotation and prevent disturbances in the machine's posture, thereby improving the accuracy of movement control. It is also equipped with a wireless control function via a controller, so it can be operated by an operator. Furthermore, it is a highly practical automatic leveling robot that is lightweight and compact for excellent portability, can handle soft concrete after pouring, and is also quiet. It is a floor finishing robot equipped with a rotating blade that serves both leveling and movement, can travel autonomously, can be mounted on a small vehicle and is lightweight and compact enough to be carried by two workers, and is particularly capable of leveling and finishing even soft concrete. Furthermore, this invention adds a blade tilt control function to these basic performance characteristics. By taking advantage of its lightweight and compact design, which makes it suitable for leveling soft concrete, the accuracy of the leveling finish can be improved through blade tilt control. The floor finishing robot that performs automatic leveling work according to this invention is used in the process from rough leveling to leveling finish. Since leveling is performed several to about 10 times, the properties of the concrete change during this process, so the blade tilt is controlled accordingly.

[0015] The floor finishing robot 100 is equipped with trowel devices 1a and 1b on the left and right sides of the trowel device 1. The trowel device 1 has a trowel rotation shaft 11 and four flat blades 12 attached to the lower end of the trowel rotation shaft 11. These devices are mounted on the main frame 111, and a protective frame 112 connected to the main frame 111 is positioned on the outer circumference of the machine. This floor finishing robot 100 is equipped with a control computer that controls the trowel, a laser rangefinder, a MEMS sensor, and a gyro sensor as attitude control sensors 103, and a controller 3 is located outside the machine.

[0016] The floor finishing robot 100 makes contact with the concrete surface to which the blade 12 has been poured and performs leveling work while moving. The floor finishing robot 100 sets its movement path by performing operations such as teaching using the controller 3. The laser rangefinder performs a wide-angle scan (for example, 270 degrees horizontally) to measure two-dimensional or three-dimensional distances over a wide area. Map information is created by setting movement markers based on data detected from building columns and other structures at the site where the leveling work is to be performed. In place of columns, temporary poles or other structures can be installed to define the work area. That is, in large-area sites where there are no suitable landmarks such as columns, temporary structures can be installed and used as landmarks by sensors such as the laser rangefinder. The gyro sensor detects the rotation of the automatic leveling robot 100 and provides information to correct the robot's orientation. The MEMS sensor also detects the aircraft's rotation and is used when controlling it using the remote control.

[0017] This section describes an example of a lightweight, quiet, and compact floor finishing robot, model 100. Trowel devices 1a and 1b are attached to both ends of the main frame 111. The drive system is attached to the lower center of the main frame 111, and the battery 150 is located above it. A drive motor is located below the battery. A drive shaft is provided via a gearbox that transmits power from the drive motor. Bevel gears are connected to both ends of the drive shaft, and the driving force of the trowel device is transmitted vertically via the bevel gears. A servo motor is located on the outer circumference of the bevel gearbox. The servo motor controls the tilt of the rotation axis of the trowel device, thereby braking the operation of the automatic leveling robot. A blade angle adjustment mechanism is provided along the rotation axis of the trowel device, allowing the angle of inclination at which the blade makes contact with the ground to be changed, and thus the contact pressure to be adjusted. This is initially adjusted according to the softness and roughness of the concrete being finished. A protective frame 112 surrounding the aircraft is attached to the main frame 111 via stays 162.

[0018] Figure 2 shows an example of the trowel device 1. The trowel device 1 basically has four blades 12 attached to the lower part of the trowel rotation shaft 11, and the blades 12 are rotated to perform leveling work and travel. Forward, backward, left, and right travel is controlled by controlling the tilt of the trowel rotation shaft 11, and this tilt control is performed by trowel angle control devices 131a and 131b. The two trowel angle control devices are positioned at right angles to each other, and thus control the tilt of the trowel rotation shaft. For travel, forward, backward, left, and right travel is further possible by adjusting the rotation direction of the blades.

[0019] The blade control device 2 includes an adjustment mechanism 4 for adjusting the blade's tilt and a controller 3 for operating the adjustment mechanism 4. The blade adjustment mechanism 4 includes an adjustment motor 40, a vertical movement means 21 (plate 43) that can move up and down along the trowel rotation axis 11 of the trowel device 1, a blade arm 13 provided on the blade axis 14 of the blade 12, and a connecting link 22 that connects the vertical movement means 21 (plate 43) and the blade arm 13. The adjustment motor 40 drives the vertical movement means 21 (plate 43) up and down via a worm gear mechanism or the like.

[0020] In this example, a disc-shaped plate 43 is used as the vertical movement mechanism 21. The plate 43 is mounted on the outer circumference of the trowel rotation shaft 11 so as to be able to slide up and down. The vertical movement is adjusted by a worm 42 mounted on the adjustment motor 40 side, which controls a worm wheel 41 mounted on the plate 43 side. By controlling the adjustment motor 40 with the controller 3, the tilt of the blade 12 can be controlled remotely.

[0021] The upper end of the connecting link 22 is attached to the lower surface of the plate 43, and the lower end of the connecting link 22 is attached to the blade arm 13. As the plate 43 moves up and down, the blade arm 13 rotates, causing the blade axis 14 of the blade 12 to rotate as well, and thus changing the tilt of the blade 12. The four blades 12 are linked to the vertical movement of the plate 43, so the change in inclination is the same for all of them. In floor finishing robots that use trowels and those that travel, it is important that the blade inclination is the same due to the rotation of the blades.

[0022] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the lower cross-sectional structure of the trowel device. A trowel rotation shaft 11 is located at the center, and an outer tube 11a for the trowel rotation shaft is provided around it. This outer tube 11a for the trowel rotation shaft does not rotate. A blade adjustment mechanism 4 is attached to the outer tube 11a of the trowel rotation shaft. An adjustment mechanism support member 45 is attached to the outer tube 11a of the trowel rotation shaft, and a worm wheel 41 is attached to the adjustment mechanism support member 45. Teeth are formed on the outer surface of the worm wheel 41 that mesh with the worm 42 to which the output shaft of the adjustment motor 40 is attached, and the worm wheel rotates. Inside the worm wheel 41 there is a cylindrical inner gear 41a which meshes with the adjustment gear 44. The adjustment gear 44 is cylindrical and is mounted around the outer tube 11a of the trowel rotation shaft, and is installed to move up and down along the outer tube 11a of the trowel rotation shaft. In this example, a disc-shaped flange 44a is provided at the bottom of the adjustment gear 44. As the worm 42 rotates, the adjustment gear 44 rotates via the worm wheel 41 and the flange 44a moves up and down.

[0023] The lower surface of the flange 44a of the adjustment gear 44 is in contact with a plate 43 that is mounted around the outer tube 11a of the trowel rotation shaft. The plate 43 is a disc-shaped body and is installed to slide against the lower flange 44a of the adjustment gear 44 and move up and down (without rotating). A connecting link 22 is provided on the underside of the plate 43. When the plate 43 moves up and down, the rotation axis 14 of the blade 12 rotates via the connecting link 22, and the tilt of the blade fin 16 is adjusted. Furthermore, since the blade 12 supports the weight of the floor finishing robot 100, an upward force acts on the plate 43 via the connecting link 22, and it is constantly in contact with the lower flange 44a of the adjustment gear 44. Furthermore, the structure for controlling the tilt of the blade 12 based on the rotational control of the adjustment motor 40 is not limited to this.

[0024] A rotor 11b is provided at the lower part of the trowel rotation shaft 11, and a blade 12 is attached to the rotor 11b. In this example, there are four blades 12, and the blades 12 rotate horizontally in accordance with the rotation of the trowel rotation shaft 11 and the rotor 11b. The blade 12 has blade fins 16 that slide against the concrete surface, a blade mounting shaft 15, a blade rotation shaft 14, and a blade arm 13 (not shown in Figure 3). The blade rotation shaft 14 is mounted so that the shaft can rotate in order to adjust the tilt of the blade. The blade rotation shaft 14 is attached to the rotor 11b via a retaining mechanism. The blade arm 13 is fixed to the blade rotation shaft 14 in an arm-like manner. Centrifugal force acts on the blade rotation shaft 14 as the blade rotates, but the retaining mechanism prevents it from falling off. The blade fins 16 are attached to the lower surface of the blade mounting shaft 15. The blade mounting shaft 15 is attached to the blade rotation shaft 14. Since the blade fins 16 wear out, the blade mounting shaft 15 and the blade rotation shaft 14 are attached interchangeably using means such as screws or slotted fittings.

[0025] Since the blade fins 16 of the blade 12 are constantly subjected to ground pressure, the blade arm 13 of the blade rotation axis 14 is biased to rotate upward. This bias also pushes the connecting link 22 connected to the blade arm 13 upward, causing the plate 43 to come into contact with the lower flange 44a of the adjustment gear 44. Since the plate 43 and the lower flange 44a of the adjustment gear 44 are always in contact, the tilt of the blade 12 can be adjusted by controlling the worm 42 with the adjustment motor 40.

[0026] Figures 4 and 5 show schematics of the blade cross-section and the blade fins. Figure 4(a) shows a cross-section of the blade. A blade mounting shaft 15 is attached to the lower side of the blade rotation axis 14, and a blade fin 16 is attached to the lower side of the blade mounting shaft 15. A blade arm 13 is provided on the blade rotation axis 14. Figure 4(b) shows the blade rotation axis 14. The base end of the blade rotation axis 14 is the rotor mounting end 14a. The blade arm 13 is attached near the rotor mounting end 14a, and the part from the blade arm 13 towards the tip is where the blade mounting axis 15 is attached. The blade fins 16 wear down from friction with the concrete surface, so they are attached to the blade rotation shaft 14 along with the blade mounting shaft 15 using screws or the like so that they can be attached and detached. It is also important to ensure that the blade rotation shaft and the blade mounting shaft are securely attached, perhaps by providing grooves or protrusions, to prevent loosening. The weight of the robot rests on the blade fins, and the tilt of the trowel rotation shaft and blade fins is controlled by them, so it is important that the blade fins and their attachments are firmly fixed.

[0027] The rotor mounting end 14a is the part that is attached to the rotor. The blade arm 13 is fixed so that the arm 13a extends laterally from the blade rotation axis 14. By manipulating the arm 13a, the blade rotation axis 14 rotates, and the blade tilt θ, which is the inclination of the blade fin 16, is adjusted. By providing arm 13a, the blade's tilt θ can be adjusted by rotating the length of the arm, making fine adjustments easier. Furthermore, since the blade's tilt θ is adjusted using the moment of arm 13a's length during operation, the load required for control can also be reduced. Furthermore, as proposed in the previous invention, a shaft for adjusting the blade angle can be placed in the center of the trowel device and this angle adjustment shaft can be operated by a motor. However, this central shaft would have a small diameter, making it more difficult to control fine angle adjustments remotely than with the arm-type system.

[0028] The blade fin 16 shown in Figure 5 is mounted on the lower surface of the blade mounting shaft 15 such that the concrete sliding edge 16a side is longer and the rotor-side end of the blade mounting shaft is shorter. The blade fin 16 is formed with the concrete sliding edge 16a side being longer and the side on the blade mounting shaft 15 side being shorter, and the side on the rotor side being formed as a curved rotor-side curved edge 16b. This creates a section directly below the trowel rotation shaft 11 where there is no blade fin, allowing for the installation of a surface condition detection sensor for the poured concrete. Furthermore, as the longer concrete sliding edge rotates, leveling work is performed directly below the trowel rotation shaft as the robot moves.

[0029] Figure 6 shows an example in which a sensor for detecting the surface properties of concrete is installed at the bottom of the trowel device. The process of leveling poured concrete requires adjusting the angle of the trowel blade according to the concrete's softness and unevenness. It's also possible for the worker to judge the surface condition of the concrete and control the tilt of the floor-finishing robot's blade. When finishing floors manually, plasterers adjust the trowel angle, pressure, and speed, but this largely depends on the craftsman's expertise. This invention proposes a floor finishing robot equipped with a sensor for detecting the surface properties of concrete. Based on objective data, floor finishing using the robot is achieved. Furthermore, by continuously monitoring the surface properties of the concrete, operation control is stabilized, robot meandering is reduced, and floor finishing work can be shortened.

[0030] Sensors for detecting the surface properties of concrete can utilize vibration detection sensors, elasticity detection sensors, laser distance sensors, blade rotation resistance sensors, and other similar technologies. A vibration detection sensor detects vibrations experienced by the trowel device due to irregularities in the concrete surface, for example. An elasticity sensor detects the softness (or hardness) of the concrete surface by contacting it and measuring the rebound force. A laser distance sensor can detect irregularities in the concrete surface using a laser. Rotational resistance is expressed as a numerical value that takes into account factors such as irregularities and the softness of the concrete.

[0031] Figure 6 shows an example in which a concrete surface condition detection sensor S is installed at the lower part of the trowel rotation shaft 11. The area directly below the trowel rotation axis 11 is ideal for detection because the concrete surface being finished by the blade fins 16 is exposed. The vibration sensor can also be stabilized by placing it at the bottom of the trowel rotation shaft 11. If it is placed on the upper side of the trowel rotation shaft, the lateral vibration of the shaft will be amplified, and if it is placed on the machine body, there is a possibility that vibrations from the drive motor and the two trowels will mix. However, by placing it at the bottom of the trowel rotation shaft, vibrations from the trowel blade can be detected as a condition of the concrete surface during leveling work. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 1. Trowel device 11. Rotating shaft of the trowel 11a Outer tube of trowel rotation shaft 11b Rotor 12 blades 13 Blade Arms 14 Blade rotation axis 15 Blade mounting shaft 16 Blade Fins 16a Concrete sliding joint 16b Rotor-side curved edge 2 Blade control device 21 Vertical movement means 22 Connection Links 3 Controllers 4. Blade adjustment mechanism 40 Adjustment motor 41 Worm Wheel 41a Internal gear 42 Warm 43 Plate 43 44 Adjustable Gears 44a Flange 45 Adjustment mechanism support member 100 Floor finishing robots 103 Attitude control sensor 111 Main Frame 112 Protective Frame 131a Trowel Angle Control Device 131b Trowel Angle Control Device 150 batteries 162 Stay θ slope S Surface texture detection sensor

Claims

1. A motor-driven floor finishing robot that performs leveling work on the surface of poured concrete, A trowel device having a trowel rotating shaft with an outer tube surrounding it and a blade attached to the trowel rotating shaft, It is equipped with a blade control device that controls the tilt of the blade, A floor finishing robot characterized by a blade control device equipped with an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the tilt of a blade, to which a worm wheel is attached, and a controller for operating the adjustment mechanism, on a support member provided on the outer tube of the trowel's rotating shaft.

2. The adjustment mechanism for adjusting the blade's tilt has an adjustment motor. The floor finishing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller controls the adjustment motor.

3. The floor finishing robot according to claim 2, characterized in that the adjustment mechanism for adjusting the blade tilt comprises a blade arm provided on the blade axis and a connecting link that connects the vertical movement means and the blade arm, and an adjustment motor drives the vertical movement means.

4. It is equipped with a concrete detection sensor that detects the condition of the poured concrete surface. The floor finishing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that it controls the tilt of the blade based on detection information from a concrete detection sensor.

5. The floor finishing robot according to claim 4, characterized in that the concrete detection sensor is an elasticity detection sensor, a vibration detection sensor, or a laser distance sensor.

Images