System for applying a building material

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for applying a building material.

[0002] Various systems have already been proposed for the automated application of building materials. For example, WO 2013 / 064826 A1 discloses a method and a device for applying cementitious materials. In this method, liquid cementitious material is applied to a target location via a movable robot arm. A disadvantage of such and similar known systems is that cleaning components that come into contact with the building material is often difficult. This is particularly true when a setting accelerator or similar substance is added to the cementitious building material. Such systems tend to block flow openings because the initially liquid building material can solidify within the application system itself.

[0003] A printer nozzle with a feed screw in a filling area is known from CN105666640A. A 3D spray printer for concrete is known from CN106903776A. A print head with separate conveying and mixing devices is known from CN106988535A. A mixer from the field of dental technology is known from EP 1836992 A1.

[0004] In particular, CN105666640A discloses a system for applying a building material, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0005] One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a system for applying a building material which can be easily maintained or cleaned, in particular on components which come into contact with the building material.

[0006] This problem is solved by a system for applying a building material, according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises: a movement device for changing an application location in a room; a first component of the building material; a second drive module and the mixing chamber module in an application state of the system are operatively connected to each other by the coupling elements.

[0007] The proposed solution has the initial advantage that, by simply separating the drive module and the mixing chamber module, the mixing chamber module can be removed as a whole and thus replaced. This is particularly advantageous if a blockage of the building material occurs in the mixing chamber and the system needs to be operational again as quickly as possible to continue applying the building material. With the system proposed here, the mixing chamber module can be detached as a whole in such a case and replaced with a clean, unblocked one. This ensures the fastest possible resolution of blockages in the mixing chamber.

[0008] The system proposed here offers the further advantage that, when the mixing chamber module is separated, the rotating components within the mixing chamber are disconnected from the drive. This eliminates the risk of injury from still-rotating components during cleaning and / or maintenance work on the mixing chamber. Once the mixing chamber module is separated from the drive module, cleaning or maintenance work can be carried out on the mixing chamber module without any of its components continuing to be driven.

[0009] Furthermore, the system proposed here offers the advantage that the mixing chamber module as a whole can be separated from the system and, for example, moved to a designated location for cleaning, so that the mixing chamber module can be cleaned or repaired, and then reconnected to the system as a whole via the coupling mechanism between the drive module and the mixing chamber module.

[0010] Another advantage is that the mixing chamber module is a relatively lightweight component that can be removed from the system for cleaning and / or maintenance work, allowing heavier elements, such as the drive, to remain in the system.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the mixer is arranged on a head of the movement device, so that the mixer is located in a region of the application site.

[0012] This arrangement of the mixer within the system offers the advantage that the first and second components are mixed only shortly before the building material leaves the system. A setting accelerator is added as part of one of the components, allowing the building material to set as quickly as possible after exiting the system.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the drive module is arranged on the motion device, wherein the mixing chamber module is also separated from the motion device in a state separated from the drive module.

[0014] This arrangement of the mixer within the system offers the advantage that the drive module can remain in the system when the mixing chamber module is separated from the drive module. This allows heavier components, such as the drive itself, to remain in the system, while lighter components, such as the mixing chamber module, can be removed for cleaning and / or maintenance.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the first coupling element and the second coupling element each have a toothed section, wherein the drive module and the mixing chamber module are mechanically interconnected in the application state.

[0016] In an alternative embodiment, the drive module and the mixing chamber module are magnetically or otherwise operatively connected to each other in the application state. Other possible coupling configurations include gear couplings, multi-plate couplings, pin couplings, jaw couplings, fluid couplings, slip couplings, centrifugal couplings, metal bellows couplings, flange couplings, sliding couplings, spring couplings, plug-in couplings, Oldham couplings, Periflex couplings, disc couplings, ring clamp couplings, sleeve couplings, or friction couplings.

[0017] A mechanical connection between the modules offers the advantage that a robust and cost-effective system can be realized.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the mixing chamber module comprises a drum module and a shaft module, which are designed to be separable from one another.

[0019] The inclusion of separable sub-modules in the mixing chamber module offers the advantage that the module can be further disassembled for cleaning, thus improving access to the areas requiring cleaning and / or maintenance. Furthermore, individual sub-modules, such as the shaft module, can be replaced, while other sub-modules, such as the drum module, can be reused for further application of the building material. For example, different shaft modules can be used for different application purposes. The modular design proposed here allows for the easy exchange of such diverse shaft modules.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the drum module comprises a drum with at least one inlet and one outlet as well as a distal closure.

[0021] In one exemplary embodiment, the drum of the drum module is formed in one piece and / or is tubular.

[0022] The use of a single-piece, especially tubular, drum offers the advantage of a mechanically robust and reliable system. Furthermore, such a single-piece drum is easier to seal than multi-component drums. A single-piece drum is also generally lighter than multi-component drums. Finally, a single-piece drum allows for more precise bearings for the rotating axis at the drum's ends. This is particularly important at high rotational speeds.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, the proximal and / or distal closure on a side facing the drum includes a sacrificial plate.

[0024] The use of such a sacrificial plate has the advantage that the material conveyed through the drum damages the sacrificial plate and not the seal itself, thus allowing the proximal and / or distal seal to be used for a longer period. The sacrificial plate can be replaced at regular intervals.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the drum comprises at least a first inlet and a second inlet in a first end region of the drum, wherein the outlet is arranged in a second end region of the drum.

[0026] In an exemplary further training, the drum also includes a third entrance.

[0027] In an exemplary further training, the drum also includes a fourth entrance.

[0028] In an exemplary further training, the drum also includes a fifth entrance.

[0029] Providing two or more inlets offers the advantage that, firstly, the first and second components can be mixed directly in the drum, and / or that a cleaning fluid can be introduced into the drum through a separate inlet for rinsing or cleaning. Furthermore, additional inlets can be used, for example, to add a color component or additives.

[0030] Arranging the inlets and outlet at opposite ends of the drum offers the advantage that the entire drum volume is available for both mixing the components and cleaning the drum.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, the shaft module comprises the second coupling element, a proximal closure and a stirring shaft, wherein the stirring shaft is operatively connected to the second coupling element.

[0032] A wave module constructed in this way has the advantage that components and spaces of the mixer can be made very easily accessible for cleaning or maintenance of the mixer by separating the wave module from the drum module.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, the stirring shaft is fitted with pins on a first section and / or the stirring shaft is fitted with pins.

[0034] In one exemplary further development, the pins are equipped with an external thread, allowing them to be screwed into corresponding holes with internal threads in the agitator shaft. This enables easy replacement, addition, or removal of pins on the agitator shaft. Furthermore, this pin design allows for easy adjustment or modification of the pin configuration on the shaft.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, the agitator shaft has a conveying element on a second section, which is operatively connected to the agitator shaft and thus to the second coupling element.

[0036] Providing such a conveying element on the agitator shaft has the advantage that the building material in the mixing chamber is not only mixed, but can also be conveyed out of the mixing chamber by the conveying element.

[0037] In an exemplary training course, the conveying element is designed as a screw conveyor.

[0038] Tests have shown that screw conveyors are particularly well suited to conveying the building material from the mixing chamber at a desired pressure.

[0039] In another exemplary further development, the conveying element is designed to be removable from the agitator shaft. In particular, the conveying element can be removed from the agitator shaft without tools.

[0040] This has the advantage that, for example, the auger can be replaced, or that the individual elements of the shaft module are more easily accessible for cleaning and / or maintenance work. For instance, it may be necessary to use different augers for different building materials. A conveyor element that can be removed from the agitator shaft allows for easy replacement of the conveyor element as needed.

[0041] In an exemplary further development, the conveying element is secured to the agitator shaft by a locking element. In particular, the conveying element is arranged on the agitator shaft in a rotationally secured manner.

[0042] In an alternative embodiment, the conveying element is fixed to the agitator shaft by a bayonet fitting, screwed, pressed, clamped, glued, plugged, locked, or with pins and bolts.

[0043] In an exemplary embodiment, the drive module comprises a support device which is connected to the distal closure in the application state, wherein the distal closure has at least one bearing for the stirring shaft.

[0044] This offers the advantage that the agitator shaft can be supported by at least one bearing in the distal closure and at least one bearing in the proximal closure on the drive module. Stable and secure bearing of the agitator shaft is particularly important at high rotational speeds.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, the support device has a device, in particular a fixing means such as a screw, to define a positioning of the drive module relative to the mixing chamber module in the direction of the stirring shaft.

[0046] This offers the advantage that an optimal and reproducible connection between the first coupling element and the second coupling element can be achieved.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, the support device has a further device, in particular fixing means such as screws, to secure the mixing chamber module to the drive module.

[0048] This offers the advantage that even during faster movements of the moving device, the mixing chamber module is precisely guided along with the drive module, and is also less prone to oscillation.

[0049] According to the invention, the first component comprises a pumpable concrete and the second component comprises a setting accelerator.

[0050] The pumpable concrete and setting accelerator are mixed together in the mixing chamber, and the mixture is then applied. Tests have shown that a thorough mixture of pumpable concrete and setting accelerator is crucial for the setting behavior of the material after application. Furthermore, it is advantageous to mix these components as close to the application time as possible. This allows for a higher dosage of setting accelerator, resulting in faster setting of the material after application. This, in turn, enables faster construction speeds for the structure to be built with the applied material.

[0051] In an alternative embodiment, which is not part of the invention, the building material is a multi-component, plastic-based composition. The first component typically comprises a reactive polymer or monomer, and the second component comprises a hardener or accelerator for crosslinking or curing this polymer or monomer. Examples of such compositions include epoxy resins, polyurethanes, silane-functional polymers, silicones, acrylates, and the like.

[0052] In one exemplary embodiment, the movement device for changing an application location in a room is designed as a crane. In particular, the mixer is arranged at one head of the crane.

[0053] In an alternative embodiment, the movement device for changing an application location in a room is designed in the form of a 3D printer. In particular, the mixer is arranged on a print head of this 3D printer.

[0054] In one exemplary embodiment, the application location in space can be changed by the movement device in one dimension, in two dimensions, or in three dimensions.

[0055] The ability to change the application location in as many dimensions as possible offers the advantage of enabling the production of more complex structures with the material. In particular, the use of a movement device that can be moved in three different dimensions with respect to the application location is advantageous because it allows for the creation of complex three-dimensional structures from the material.

[0056] Details and advantages of the invention are described below with reference to exemplary embodiments and schematic drawings. These show: Fig. 1 Schematic representation of an exemplary system for applying a building material; Fig. 2 Schematic representation of an exemplary mixer; Fig. 3a Schematic representation of an exemplary drive module and mixing chamber module of a mixer; Fig. 3b Schematic representation of an exemplary drive module and mixing chamber module of a mixer; Fig. 4a Schematic representation of an exemplary mixing chamber module; Fig. 4b Schematic representation of an exemplary shaft module and drum module of a mixing chamber module; Fig. 5 Schematic representation of an exemplary shaft module; and Fig. 6 Schematic representation of an exemplary conveying element.

[0057] In Fig. 1 Figure 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary system 1 for applying a building material. System 1 comprises a movement device 2 for changing the application location within a space. In this embodiment, the movement device 2 is designed as a crane-like device with a movable arm.

[0058] System 1 further comprises a first component 3 and a second component 4. In this embodiment, the first component 3 and the second component 4 are each arranged in a container, from which the components can be fed to the mixer 5 via a first hose 27 and a second hose 28, respectively. Pumps (not shown) are used, for example, to convey the first component 3 and the second component 4.

[0059] The first component 3 is fed into the mixer 5 via a first inlet 7.1. The second component 4 is fed into the mixer 5 via a second inlet 7.2. The first component 3 and the second component 4 are mixed together in the mixer 5. After mixing, the material is applied via an outlet 6. The outlet 6 can be located directly on the mixer 5. Furthermore, the outlet 6 can include a nozzle (not shown) to apply the material in a desired shape.

[0060] According to the invention, the first component 3 is a pumpable concrete, i.e., a liquid concrete that can be pumped through a hose system, and the second component 4 is a liquid comprising a setting accelerator. This allows the building material to set as quickly as possible after application, so that a structure can be built up layer by layer. The faster the building material sets after application, the faster the structure can be built up, and the more dimensionally stable the structure remains after application.

[0061] Depending on the area of ​​application, the motion device 2 can also be designed differently, in particular in the manner of a 3D printer.

[0062] In Fig. 2 A schematic representation of an exemplary mixer 5 is shown. The mixer 5 comprises a drive 8, a drum 9, a proximal closure 12, a distal closure 13, an outlet 6, a first inlet 7.1, a second inlet 7.2, a third inlet 7.3, and a support device 17. For example, the first component 3 can be supplied via the first inlet 7.1, the second component 4 via the third inlet 7.3, and the second inlet 7.2 can be used for cleaning the drum 9 with a cleaning fluid. The building material can, for example, be applied directly via the outlet 6, or a nozzle (not shown) or other components can be attached to the outlet 6.

[0063] In this embodiment, the distal closure 13 is connected to the drive 8 via the support device 17, so that a stirring shaft (not visible in this figure) can be mounted in both the proximal closure 12 and the distal closure 13.

[0064] In the Fig. 3a und 3b The same mixer 5 is used in each case as in Fig. 2 The illustrations show, however, the drive module 10 and the mixing chamber module 11 are separate from each other. It can be seen that the drive module 10 comprises a first coupling element 14, and the mixing chamber module 11 comprises a second coupling element 15. In this embodiment, the coupling elements 14 and 15 each have teeth that mesh with each other in an application state.

[0065] The separable arrangement of mixing chamber module 11 and drive module 10 allows, in particular, the mixing chamber module 11 to be removed from system 1 for cleaning and / or maintenance work. This also allows the drum 9 to be cleaned easily without having to disassemble the entire mixer 5 from system 1.

[0066] In the Fig. 4a und 4b The mixing chamber module 11 is shown without the drive module 10. In this case, Fig. 4a the mixing chamber module 11 is shown in an assembled state and in Fig. 4b The mixing chamber module 11 is shown in a separated state. In this embodiment, the mixing chamber module 11 comprises a shaft module 21 and a drum module 22.

[0067] In this embodiment, the shaft module 21 comprises the second coupling element 15, the proximal closure 12, the agitator shaft 16 and a conveying element 18.

[0068] In this embodiment, the drum module 22 comprises a one-piece tubular drum 9 and a distal closure 13. The drum 9 has a first inlet 7.1, a second inlet 7.2, and a third inlet 7.3, all of which are arranged in a first end region of the drum 9. The outlet 6 is arranged at a second end region of the drum 9.

[0069] In this embodiment, the distal closure 13 has a sacrificial plate 23, which is arranged on the side of the distal closure 13 facing the drum 9. The sacrificial plate 23 wears down during operation of the system and can be replaced as needed. This allows the distal closure 13 to be used for a longer period of time.

[0070] In Fig. 5 The shaft module 21 is now shown without the drum module 22. The shaft module 21 again includes the second coupling element 15, the proximal closure 12, the agitator shaft 16, and the conveying element 18. The agitator shaft 16 has pins 19, which in this embodiment are screwed into the agitator shaft. For clarity, only two pins 19 are shown. It goes without saying that for efficient mixing of the first and second components, several pins 19 can be screwed onto the agitator shaft 16.

[0071] In this embodiment, the conveying element 18 is designed as a screw conveyor.

[0072] In Fig. 6An exemplary conveying element 18 is shown, which is designed to be removable from the agitator shaft 16. To bring the conveying element 18 into operative contact with the agitator shaft 16, the conveying element 18 is placed onto designated projections on the agitator shaft 16 and secured to the agitator shaft 16 with a locking element 20. Such a removable conveying element 18 can be easily replaced. Reference symbol list

[0073] 1 System 2 Motion device 3 First component 4 Second component 5 Mixer 6 Outlet 7 Inlet 7.1 First inlet 7.2 Second inlet 7.3 Third inlet 8 Drive 9 Drum 10 Drive module 11 Mixing chamber module 12 Proximal closure 13 Distal closure 14 First coupling element 15 Second coupling element 16 Stirring shaft 17 Support device 18 Conveying element 19 Pin 20 Locking element 21 Shaft module 22 Drum module 23 Sacrificial plate 27 First hose 28 Second hose

Claims

1. System (1) for applying a building material, the system (1) including: a movement device (2) for changing a site of application within a space; a first component (3) of the building material; a second component (4) of the building material; a mixer (5) for mixing the first component (3) and the second component (4); wherein the mixer (5) includes a drive module (10) with a first coupling element (14) and a mixing chamber module (11) with a second coupling element (15), wherein the drive module (10) and the mixing chamber module (11) are realized so as to be separable from one another by means of the coupling elements (14, 15), and wherein the drive module (10) and the mixing chamber module (11) are operatively connected together by means of the coupling elements (14, 15) when the system (1) is in an application state; characterized in that the first component (3) includes a pumpable concrete and wherein the second component (4) includes an accelerating admixture.

2. System (1) according to Claim 1, wherein the mixer is arranged on a head of the movement device (2) so that the mixer (5) is situated in each case in a region of the site of application.

3. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive module (10) is arranged on the movement device (2), wherein the mixing chamber module (11) is also separated from the movement device (2) when it is in a state separated from the drive module (10).

4. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first coupling element (14) and the second coupling element (15) each comprise a toothing, wherein the drive module (10) and the mixing chamber module (11) are operatively connected together mechanically in the application state.

5. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing chamber module (11) includes a drum module (22) and a shaft module (21) which are realized so as to be separable from one another.

6. System (1) according to Claim 5, wherein the drum module (22) includes a drum (9) with at least one inlet (7, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3) and one outlet (6) as well as a distal closure (13).

7. System (1) according to either of Claims 5 or 6, wherein the drum (9) of the drum module (22) is realized in one piece and / or wherein the drum (9) of the drum module (22) is realized in a tubular manner.

8. System (1) according to either of Claims 6 or 7, wherein a proximal closure (12) and / or the distal closure (13) include(s) a protection plate (23) on a side which faces toward the drum (9).

9. System (1) according to one of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the drum (9) includes at least one first inlet (7.1) and one second inlet (7.2) in a first end region of the drum (9), and wherein the outlet (6) is arranged in a second end region of the drum (9).

10. System (1) according to one of Claims 5 to 9, wherein the shaft module (21) includes the second coupling element (15), the proximal closure (12) and an agitating shaft (16), wherein the agitating shaft (16) is operatively connected to the second coupling element (15) .

11. System (1) according to Claim 10, wherein the agitating shaft (16) is fitted with pins (19) on a first portion, and / or wherein the agitating shaft (16) has on a second portion a conveying element (18) which is operatively connected to the agitating shaft (16) and, as a result, to the second coupling element (15).

12. System (1) according to Claim 11, wherein the conveying element (18) is realized as a screw conveyor and / or wherein the conveying element (18) is realized so as to be removable from the agitating shaft (16).

13. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive module (8) includes a support device (17) which is connected to the distal closure (13) in the application state, and wherein the distal closure (13) has at least one bearing for the agitating shaft (16).