JP7692337B2 - Fixture and method for fixing panels - Google Patents

Description

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a jig and method for fixing panels used as exterior walls of buildings to furring strips.

Large-scale buildings such as warehouses and other logistics facilities, factories, and commercial buildings are often constructed by constructing a framework that serves as the skeleton of the building, and then attaching exterior walls, louvers, fixtures, windows, etc. to the framework. When a special exterior shape or design is not required for a large-scale building, buildings can be constructed in a short construction period by using exterior wall panels (hereinafter simply referred to as panels) made of non-combustible insulating material such as rock wool sandwiched between steel plates as the exterior walls (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2019-116823 A

One of the embodiments of the present invention aims to provide a tool and method for safely, at low cost, or in a short construction period, fixing a panel used as an exterior wall of a building to a furring strip fixed to the building's framework. Alternatively, one of the embodiments of the present invention aims to provide a tool and method for fixing a panel to a furring strip fixed to the building's framework, as a work carried out inside the building, without assembling scaffolding around the building.

One embodiment of the present invention is a jig for fixing a panel to a furring strip using a screw. The jig includes a driver unit and a fixing unit connected to the driver unit. The driver unit has a support mechanism configured to support an electric screwdriver, and a sliding mechanism that reversibly slides the support mechanism on a first axis. The fixing unit has an arm connected to the driver unit, and a sliding jaw fixed to the arm and that slides on the first axis or an axis parallel to the first axis. The first axis is coaxial with the axis of the screw when the screw is attached to the electric screwdriver.

One embodiment of the present invention is a method for fixing a panel to a furring strip attached to a building. This method includes attaching a jig to the furring strip attached to the building and to the panel to be fixed to the furring strip, and operating the jig and an electric screwdriver housed in the jig from the furring strip side, and driving screws into the furring strip through the panel while moving the electric screwdriver in a first direction from the panel toward the furring strip, thereby fixing the panel to the furring strip.

1 is a front view illustrating a method of fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention, and an end view of a panel and a furring strip. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a jig for fixing a panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are a side view and a top view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are a side view and a top view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a jig for fixing a panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a rear view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention; 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a side view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a jig for fixing a panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a rear view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. 3A and 3B are a rear view and a side view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. 3A and 3B are a rear view and a side view of a jig for fixing a panel according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below.

In the drawings, the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part may be shown diagrammatically compared to the actual embodiment in order to make the explanation clearer, but this is merely an example and does not limit the interpretation of the present invention. In this specification and each figure, elements having the same function as those explained in the previous figures may be given the same reference numerals and duplicate explanations may be omitted. When describing part of a reference numeral, a lowercase alphabet is added to the reference numeral.

The following describes a jig for fixing a panel to a furring strip, and a method for fixing a panel to a furring strip using this jig, according to one embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, the following describes a jig and method for fixing a panel to a furring strip that is fixed to a building by operation inside the building.

1. Furring strips and panels As shown in FIG. 1(A), a building 10 has a foundation beam 12 connected to piles or foundation concrete (not shown), and a frame 14, 16 connected to the foundation beam 12 as a basic skeleton, and the external shape of the building 10 is mainly determined by the frame 14, 16. A plurality of furring strips 18 extending vertically and/or horizontally are fixed to the frame 14, 16. Each panel 20 is lifted by a lifting machine such as a crane, transported to a predetermined position, and attached to the frame 14, 16 using fasteners such as screws and nails (hereinafter, fasteners are collectively referred to as screws). In the following description, an example in which the furring strips 18 are arranged vertically will be mainly used, but a jig according to one embodiment of the present invention can also fix the panel 20 to the furring strips 18 arranged horizontally.

The furring strips 18 have the function of supporting the panels 20 and are linearly extending frames made of metals such as aluminum or iron, or alloys such as stainless steel, wood, or resin. The furring strips 18 may be plates extending in one direction, hollow tubes, or rods without cavities. For example, the furring strips 18 may be so-called lipped channel steel, or square steel tubes with a closed cross section. The furring strips 18 may be lipless channel steel (parallel flange channel steel) or H-beams. At least a portion of the outer surface of the furring strips 18 is flat over the entire direction in which the furring strips 18 extend, and the panels 20 are placed and fixed on this flat surface. The length, width, and thickness of the furring strips 18 are arbitrary, and may be configured to meet, for example, Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) G 3350.

The panel 20 is configured to have a single-layer structure or a laminated structure, including wood, cement, metal, mineral fibers such as rock wool, calcium silicate, gypsum, resin, etc. For example, a structure can be adopted in which mineral fibers such as glass wool or rock wool, fibers derived from natural polymers such as cellulose fiber, insulation materials such as polyurethane, polystyrene, or foamed plastics containing phenolic resin, calcium silicate, gypsum, etc. are processed into a plate shape and sandwiched between a pair of metal plates, resin plates, wooden plates, etc. When a metal plate is used, the metal plate can include metals such as aluminum or iron, or alloys such as stainless steel, and the surface may be covered with an alloy film containing aluminum or zinc. The length (length in the longitudinal direction) and width (length perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of each panel 20 can be determined arbitrarily. The length of the panel 20 is, for example, 1 m or more and 10 m or less, 2 m or more and 6 m or less, 3 m or more and 7 m or less, 5 m or more and 6 m or less, or 3 m or more and 5 m or less. The width of the panel 20 is, for example, 20 cm or more and 200 cm or less, 60 cm or more and 100 cm or less, 30 cm or more and 150 cm or less, or 30 cm or more and 100 cm or less.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the panel 20 is usually provided with a pair of rails 20a, 20b extending along the opposing long sides. When two panels 20 are fixed vertically to one furring strip 18, the rail 20a of the lower panel 20 is sandwiched between the rail 20b of the upper panel 20. The panel 20 is configured so that the main surface 20c of the lower panel 20 and one of the rails 20b of the upper panel 20 are approximately flush with each other, so that the thickness of the panel 20 is smaller at the end 20d of the long side where the rail 20a is provided. The screw 24 is driven through the end 20d of the lower panel 20 and reaches the furring strip 18, and the upper panel 20 is positioned so that the rail 20b of the upper panel 20 covers the screw 24.

As described below, the installation of the panel 20 is performed as work inside the building 10. That is, the screw 24 is driven into the panel 20 and the furring strip 18 by a worker positioned on the furring strip 18 side of the panel 20, and the panel 20 is fixed to the furring strip 18. In the following description, for convenience, the direction in which the screw 24 is driven is the y direction, and the vertical direction is the z direction. The direction perpendicular to the y direction and the z direction is the x direction in which the panel 20 extends. In addition, when the electric screwdriver 22 operates to rotate the screw 24, the axis of rotation is called the first axis. Therefore, the axis of rotation of the rotating sleeve of the electric screwdriver 22 and the axis of the screw 24 are also coaxial with the first axis. The first axis is parallel to the y direction.

2. Jig 2-1. Overall structure Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a jig 100 for fixing a panel 20 to a furring strip 18, which is one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 2, the jig 100 mainly comprises a driver unit 110 and a fixing unit 150. The driver unit 110 and the fixing unit 150 are connected to each other, and function in cooperation with each other, so that the fixing of the panel 20 to the furring strip 18 can be performed as a task inside the building 10.

2-2. Driver unit A schematic side view and a top view of the driver unit 110 are shown in FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 3(B), respectively. In these figures, for ease of viewing, the configuration other than the driver unit 110 is shown by dotted lines, and the panel 20 is shown by chain lines. The driver unit 110 has a function of supporting an electric screwdriver 22 that rotates the screw 24 when fixing the panel 20 and the furring strip 18 with the screw 24, and sliding the electric screwdriver 22 toward the panel 20. Any configuration can be adopted as the driver unit 110 as long as it is configured to realize these functions. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the driver unit 110 includes a deck 124, a back panel 126, and a front panel 122 as a support mechanism for supporting the electric screwdriver 22, and includes an air cylinder 114 having a slide shaft 116 as a slide mechanism for reversibly sliding the electric screwdriver 22 in the y direction. The slide shaft 116 is connected to the support mechanism. Furthermore, the driver unit 110 may be provided with a fitting portion 132 as a mechanism for placing the jig 100 on the panel 20 (see FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B)).

The air cylinder 114 can be fixed on a platform 112 having a main surface in the xy plane, for example. The length of the platform 112 in the y direction is appropriately adjusted so that the screw 24 can be attached to the electric screwdriver 22 when the slide shaft 116 is at the farthest position from the fitting portion 132, and the head of the screw 24 driven in when the slide shaft 116 is at the closest position to the fitting portion 132 contacts the end 20d of the panel 20. The air cylinder 114 has an inlet 118 and an outlet 120, which are connected to a switch 144 by an air tube (not shown). In order to apply torque to the slide shaft 116 in the y direction, compressed air is introduced into the air cylinder 114 from an air compressor (not shown) via the switch 144 and the air tube. The upper surface of the air cylinder 114 may be provided with one or more grooves 114a in which a part of the deck 124 of the support mechanism is accommodated (FIGS. 2 and 3B). By sliding the support mechanism with a portion of the deck 124 of the support mechanism housed in the groove 114a, the support mechanism can be slid more precisely in the y direction. In the example shown in FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 3(B), the switch 144 is provided on the arm 154, but the position of the switch 144 may be set arbitrarily. For example, an air cylinder 114 equipped with a switch may be used, or a pedal-type switch that is not fixed to the jig 100 may be placed on the floor.

In the support mechanism provided on the slide mechanism, a front panel 122 and a back panel 126 are fixed to the deck 124. The front panel 122 is provided with an opening 122a that accommodates a part of the electric screwdriver 22 when the electric screwdriver 22 is supported by the support mechanism (FIG. 2). The front panel 122 is connected to the slide shaft 116, and the support mechanism slides reversibly in the y direction by the movement of the slide shaft 116. The back panel 126 faces the front panel 122 in the y direction and supports the back of the electric screwdriver 22. By clamping the electric screwdriver 22 between the back panel 126 and the front panel 122 with a part of the electric screwdriver 22 accommodated in the opening 122a, the electric screwdriver 22 can be supported in an inverted state (i.e., the trigger of the electric screwdriver 22 is located above the sleeve). As an optional configuration, a side rest 128 that abuts against the side of the electric screwdriver 22 may be provided on the back panel 126. By providing the side rest 128, the electric screwdriver 22 can be more stably supported by the support mechanism.

In the example shown in Figures 2 to 3 (B), the air cylinder 114 has two slide shafts 116, but an air cylinder 114 with a single slide shaft 116 may also be used. This allows the weight of the air cylinder 114 to be reduced. In addition, with a single slide shaft 116, flexibility is given to the direction in which the support mechanism slides, and the slide direction of the support mechanism can be fine-tuned not only in the y direction, but also in directions shifted up, down, left, and right from the y direction (for example, directions shifted by ±10°). Therefore, even if a shift occurs in the driving direction of the screw 24, the screw 24 can be driven in by flexibly responding to this shift without the screw 24 coming off the bit of the electric screwdriver (the part that abuts against the head of the screw 24 and engages with the screw hole).

Here, in the driver unit 110 shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 3(B), the air cylinder 114 is fixed to the platform 112, and the support mechanism slides as the slide shaft 116 slides. Therefore, even if the slide shaft 116 is slid, the position of the air cylinder 114 relative to the panel 20, the furring strip 18, and the fixed unit 150 does not change. However, the driver unit 110 is not limited to such a structure, and the slide shaft 116 may be used instead of the platform 112, and the air cylinder 114 and the support mechanism fixed thereto may be slid on the slide shaft 116. For example, as shown in FIG. 4(A) and FIG. 4(B), the position of the slide shaft 116 relative to the panel 20, the furring strip 18, and the fixed unit 150 is fixed by fixing the slide shaft 116 to the first disc 140 (described later) on the fixed unit 150 side directly or via a hanger 130 (described later). This allows the air cylinder 114 and the support mechanism to slide on the slide shaft 116 while keeping the slide shaft 116 fixed. In this case, the platform 112 is no longer necessary, making the device even lighter.

Schematic perspective and side views of the fitting portion 132 are shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6(A), respectively. The fitting portion 132 is connected to the slide mechanism and fits with one side of the panel 20. The method of connecting the fitting portion 132 to the slide mechanism is also arbitrary, but for example, a hanger 130 extending in the normal direction of the platform 112 can be fixed to the platform 112 (see Fig. 1, Fig. 3(A), Fig. 3(B)), and the fitting portion 132 can be provided at the end of the hanger 130. The fitting portion 132 can be composed of a hook 136, a cap plate 134, a spacer 138, and the like. The hook 136 and the cap plate 134 may be integrated, or may be fixed to each other as independent parts by bolts or welding. On the other hand, the spacer 138 is separated from the hook 136 and the cap plate 134 and fixed directly or indirectly to the hanger 130. In the example shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6(A), the fitting portion 132 includes a pair of hooks 136, a pair of cap plates 134, and a pair of spacers 138, but there is no restriction on the number of hooks 136, cap plates 134, and spacers 138, and each may be one, or three or more. For example, the fitting portion 132 may be configured so that one hook 136 is sandwiched between a pair of cap plates 134. Alternatively, the fitting portion 132 may be configured so that one cap plate 134 is sandwiched between a pair of hooks 136.

The hook 136 is configured to engage with a pair of rails 20a provided on one side of the panel 20. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6(A), a portion 136a can be inserted between the pair of rails 20a, and this portion 136a and the other portion 136b can be configured to sandwich the rail 20a farther from the main surface 20c (FIG. 6(A)). It is preferable that the hook 136 is configured so that the side farther from the slide mechanism and support mechanism is located on the same plane as the back surface 20e of the panel 20. This allows the jig 100 to be hung and fixed from the panel 20 via the hanger 130 with the furring strip 18 and panel 20 in contact.

The spacer 138 abuts against the main surface 20c when the hook 136 is engaged with the panel 20, and its length (length in the y direction) is set so that the rotation axis of the sleeve of the electric screwdriver 22, i.e., the first axis, faces the y direction. Therefore, the electric screwdriver 22 can be precisely positioned simply by suspending the jig 100 from the panel 20 using the engagement portion 132. When the jig 100 is suspended, the end 20d is positioned between the hook 136 and the spacer 138.

By providing the fitting portion 132 in this way, the jig 100 can be stably fixed to the panel 20, and the positioning can be easily performed by fixing the panel 20 and the furring strip 18 with the screws 24. However, the fitting portion 132 does not necessarily have to be provided, and for example, as shown in FIG. 6(B), a cap plate 135 with an L-shaped end face parallel to the yz plane that overlaps with a pair of rails 20a and covers the side of the rail 20a on the furring strip 18 side may be used as the support portion 133 that suspends the driver unit 110. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6(C), the cap plate 135 may be a flat plate having the z direction as its normal.

The driver unit 110 further includes a first disk 140 as a part for connecting with the fixed unit 150 (see FIG. 2). The first disk 140 can be fixed to the hanger 130, for example. In addition to the first axis _A1 , the first disk 140 is formed with an opening 140a through which the screw 24 and a part of the electric screwdriver 22 can pass. As long as the electric screwdriver 22 and the first disk 140 do not interfere with each other when the screw 24 is driven and the head of the screw 24 abuts against the panel 20, there is no restriction on the shape of the opening 140a. Preferably, the shape of the opening 140a (shape in the xz plane) is a circle, and its center coincides with the first axis. Although not shown, the outer periphery of the part for connecting with the fixed unit 150 is not circular, but may be an arc having a notch corresponding to the opening 140a. For example, a part having a semicircular or arcuate portion of its outer periphery that comes into contact with a second disk 152 (described later) and a semicircular or sector-shaped notch at its center through which the screw 24 or part of the power screwdriver 22 can pass may be used in place of the first disk 140. Furthermore, the first disk 140 may be a torus (ring or annular body) that is a so-called doughnut shape, or may be tubular.

2-3. Fixing unit Fig. 7(A) shows a schematic perspective view of the fixing unit 150, and Fig. 7(B) shows a schematic rear view seen from the y direction. In Fig. 7(A), the parts other than the fixing unit 150 are shown by dotted lines, and the panel 20 is shown by chain lines. The fixing unit 150 has a so-called vice structure, is connected to the driver unit 110, and is a unit that has the function of fixing the furring strip 18 and the panel 20 to each other. There are no restrictions on the structure of the fixing unit 150 as long as it is configured to realize these functions. In the examples shown in Figs. 2, 7(A), and 7(B), the fixing unit 150 basically comprises a second disc 152, a slide jaw 156, and an arm 154.

The second disk 152 is configured to surround the first disk 140 and rotate around the first disk 140 around the first axis _A1 (see the arrow in FIG. 7B). That is, the second disk 152 is provided with a circular opening surrounding the first disk 140, and the first disk 140 is disposed in this opening. Although not shown, one or more grooves overlapping each other on the yz plane may be provided on the inner wall of the second disk 152 and the outer side surface of the first disk 140, and a bearing may be provided between these grooves. The second disk 152 surrounds the first disk 140, thereby connecting the fixed unit 150 to the driver unit 110. The second disk 152 may be attached to the first disk 140 in a detachable manner or may be attached substantially permanently. Like the first disc 140, the second disc 152 may be a torus or may be tubular.

The sliding jaw 156 faces the second disk 152 and the first disk 140 and is configured to slide in the y direction. The configuration for sliding in the y direction can also be designed appropriately. For example, as shown in Figures 2, 7(A), and 7(B), the sliding jaw 156 can be provided with a spindle 158 and a handle 160 for rotating the spindle 158. By rotating the handle 160, the spindle 158 rotates and reversibly slides in the y direction, and as a result, the sliding jaw 156 reversibly slides in the y direction.

The arm 154 connects the second disk 152 and the slide jaw 156 to each other. At least a part of the arm 154 extends in a direction parallel to the y direction. The arm 154 is configured so that the direction in which the slide jaw 156 slides coincides with the first axis _A1 . The furring strip 18 and the panel 20 are simultaneously placed between the second disk 152 and the slide jaw 156, and the slide jaw 156 is slid on the first axis _A1 toward the driver unit 110, thereby fixing the furring strip 18 and the panel 20, and stably fixing the driver unit 110 on the panel 20. As described above, the first disk 140 is fixed to the hanger 130 by welding or using the bolt 142, but the second disk 152 rotates around the first disk 140. Therefore, the arm 154 is connected to the driver unit 110 via the second disc 152, and the fixed unit 150 and its arm 154 can also rotate around the first axis A _1. Therefore, the jig 100 can be arranged and fixed using the fixed unit 150 regardless of the thickness (length in the x direction) of the furring strip 18. Furthermore, the arrangement position of the arm 154 relative to the furring strip 18 can be selected arbitrarily. That is, the arm 154 can be arranged on the +x side of the furring strip 18, or on the -x side. Therefore, the jig 100 can be flexibly arranged according to the situation around the furring strip 18. Although not shown, the fixed unit may have a plurality of slide jaws 156. In this case, the plurality of slide jaws 156 are configured to slide on the first axis A ₁ or an axis parallel thereto.

2-4. Screw Holder The jig 100 may further include, as an optional configuration, a screw holder for temporarily fixing the screw 24. The screw holder is configured to support the screw 24 before it is driven into the panel 20, and to release the screw 24 once the screw 24 has been driven, thereby allowing movement in the y direction. This allows the screw 24 to be positioned in a predetermined position before it is driven into the panel 20. Furthermore, once the screw 24 has been driven into the panel 20 and a portion of it has entered the panel 20, the screw 24 becomes stable, but at this time the screw 24 can be released and slid toward the panel 20 in accordance with the operation of the electric screwdriver 22.

There is no restriction on the configuration of the screw holder, but as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 8(A), for example, a pair of sliding plates 170 may be provided as the screw holder. The sliding plate 170 is attached directly or indirectly to the hanger 130, for example. The sliding plate 170 may be attached to the first disk 140. The sliding plate 170 is attached to the hanger 130 or the first disk 140 by using anchor bolts 172 so as to reversibly slide in a direction perpendicular to the first axis _A1 (for example, the x direction). The sliding plate 170 is provided with an opening 170a through which the anchor bolt 172 passes and which extends in the direction in which the sliding plate 170 slides, and the opening 170a can be used to move the sliding plate 170 in the x direction.

Each sliding plate 170 is provided with cutouts 170b that face each other in the direction in which the sliding plate 170 slides (FIGS. 8A and 8B). The cutouts 170b are formed to accommodate the screws 24 when the screws 24 are clamped between the pair of sliding plates 170. Therefore, it is preferable that the shape of the cutouts 170b (as viewed from the y direction) is the same as a part of the end face shape of the screws 24. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8B, it is preferable that the side wall of the cutout 170b has an inclination so that the shape on the driver unit 110 side is larger than the shape on the fixed unit 150 side. By providing such an inclination, when the head abuts against the sliding plate 170 after the screw 24 has started to be driven, the sliding plate 170 automatically opens gradually, and the screws 24 can be released. Therefore, it is preferable to arrange the sliding plate 170 so that when the jig 100 is arranged on the panel 20, the distance between the notch 170b and the panel 20 (i.e., the distance in the y direction from the notch 170b to the end of the spacer 138 on the side of the fixed unit 150) is shorter than the length excluding the head of the screw 24. By adopting such sizing, the screw 24 is prevented from being released before it abuts against the panel 20, and the screw 24 can be released after a part of the screw 24 is driven into the panel 20 and stabilized.

Alternatively, as shown in Figs. 9 to 10(B), the screw holder may include a pair of rotating claws 180 configured to reversibly assume a closed state capable of supporting the screw 24 and an open state in which the screw 24 is released by rotating in opposite directions. More specifically, the screw holder may be configured to include a third disk 182, a lever 184, an operating rod 190, and the like in addition to the pair of rotating claws 180.

The third disk 182 is surrounded by the first disk 140 and configured to rotate relatively to the first disk 140 about the first axis _A1 . The third disk 182 is provided with openings for accommodating the pair of rotary claws 180, and the inner walls of the openings are provided with notches 182a that fit with the respective pair of rotary claws 180. Like the first disk 140 and the second disk 152, the third disk 182 may be a torus (ring or annular body) or a tubular body.

On the other hand, the pair of rotating claws 180 are surrounded by the third disk 182 and attached to the hanger 130. At this time, the pair of rotating claws 180 are attached to the hanger 130 so as to rotate around the second axis _A2 and the third axis _A3 , respectively (FIG. 9). The second axis _A2 and the third axis _A3 are parallel to the first axis _A1 and pass through the opening of the third disk 182. The pair of rotating claws 180 are further provided with protrusions 180a that fit into the notches 182a (FIG. 10(A)). The protrusions 180a are received in the notches 182a, so that they mesh with each other, and as a result, the pair of rotating claws 180 mesh with the third disk 182. In addition, the pair of rotating claws 180 are further formed with notches 180b at the ends opposite to the protrusions 180a (see FIG. 10(B)). The two notches 180b are formed to accommodate a portion of the screw 24 and sandwich the screw 24 from above and below. For this reason, it is preferable that the shape of the notch 180b (as viewed from the y direction) is the same as a portion of the end face shape of the screw 24. Although not shown, the side wall of the notch 180b may also have an inclination, similar to the notch 170b of the sliding plate 170.

The lever 184 is fixed to the third disc 182. For example, one end of the lever 184 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the third disc 182. A pair of rollers 186 overlapping in the z direction is provided at the other end of the lever 184, and a bent operating rod 190 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the pair of rollers 186. As shown in FIG. 9, the operating rod 190 is fixed to a support mechanism, for example, the front panel 122, and extends in the y direction. However, the operating rod 190 has first and second vector components that are parallel to each other and extend in the y direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the operating rod 190 includes a portion having a first vector component on the panel 20 side, i.e., the opposite side to the driver unit 110, and a portion having a second vector component on the driver unit 110. When the driver unit 110 is at the farthest position from the panel 20, the portion having the first component is sandwiched between a pair of rollers 186, and when the driver unit 110 moves toward the panel 20, the portion between the portion having the first vector component and the portion having the second vector component advances between the pair of rollers 186, and the operating rod 190 is configured so that the portion having the second vector component is further sandwiched between the pair of rollers 186.

In the screw holder having such a configuration, as shown in Figures 10(A) and 10(B), when the third disk 182 rotates in one direction (e.g., clockwise) around the first axis _A1 (curved arrow c), the notch 182a also rotates around the first axis _A1 . At the same time, the protrusion 180a that meshes with the notch 182a moves with the rotation of the notch 182a to maintain the state of being accommodated in the notch 182a. However, as described above, the pair of rotating claws 180 are fixed to the hanger 130 so as to rotate around the second axis _A2 and the third axis _A3 , respectively. Therefore, the pair of rotating claws 180 rotate in the opposite directions around the second axis _A2 and the third axis _A3 , respectively (curved arrow d), and the notches 180b are apart from each other and open. Conversely, when the third disk 182 rotates in the opposite direction (e.g., counterclockwise) around the first axis _A1 , the notches 180b approach each other and assume a closed state. In the closed state, the projection 180a of the rotary claw (the left rotary claw 180-1 in FIG. 10A) located below the screw 24 is caught in the notch 182a, and the shapes of the projection 180a and the notch 182a are adjusted so as not to rotate further clockwise. As a result, in the closed state, the screw 24 can be supported within the notches 180b of the pair of rotary claws 180, and in the open state, the screw 24 can be released.

On the other hand, the operating rod 190 may be configured so that the first vector component is higher than the second vector component (at a position closer to the screw 24 in the z direction) (see FIG. 9). This allows the closed state to be obtained when the portion having the first vector component is sandwiched between the rollers 186. When the operating rod 190 slides in the y direction toward the panel 20 (straight arrow a in FIG. 9) and the portion having the second vector component is sandwiched between the rollers 186, the lever 184 is pushed down (straight arrow b). As a result, the third disc 182 rotates clockwise (curved arrow c), and the rotating claw 180 rotates (curved arrow d).

Conversely, when the third disk 182 is rotated counterclockwise to transition from the closed state to the open state, the operating rod 190 can be configured so that the first vector component is lower than the second vector component (farther from the screw 24 in the z direction). The length and spacing of the portion of the operating rod 190 having the first and second vector components are appropriately adjusted so that the transition from the closed state to the open state begins after part of the screw 24 is driven into the panel 20 and its direction has stabilized. In this way, the lever 184, the pair of rollers 186, and the operating rod 190 act as a rotation mechanism that rotates the third disk 182.

Alternatively, the screw holder may be configured so that the rotary claw 180 opens and closes in a double door manner. For example, as shown in Fig. 11(A) and Fig. 11(B), the screw holder may be configured with a pair of rotary claws 200-1, 200-2 that rotate around an axis extending in the y direction (see the curved arrow in Fig. 11(A)) and clamp the screw 24, and a pin 204 that holds the pair of rotary claws 200-1, 200-2. As with the rotary claw 180, the rotary claw 200 is also provided with a notch for clamping the screw 24. A portion of the pin 204 is accommodated in a spring seat 202 in which an elastic member such as a spring is provided, and is arranged so that the pair of rotary claws 200-1, 200-2 are closed by the restoring force of the elastic member. Therefore, by accommodating the screw 24 in the notch, the screw 24 can be fixed between the rotary claws 200 in a state facing the y direction. The spring base 202 and the rotary claw 200 may be fixed to the hanger 130, for example, and fixed to a base plate 208 provided on the driver unit 110 side of the hanger 130. As an optional configuration, each rotary claw 200 may be provided with a lever 206 for manually opening and closing the rotary claw 200.

A blade 210 is provided on the front panel 122 of the driver unit 110 as a mechanism for opening the rotary claws 200. The shape and position of the blade 210 are adjusted so that the blade 210 is inserted between the rotary claws 200 by sliding the front panel 122 in the y direction. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 11(A) and other figures, the mechanism for opening the rotary claws 200 is a plate-shaped blade 210, but the mechanism may be needle-shaped or rod-shaped.

By moving the slide shaft 116 in the y direction while clamping the screw 24 with the rotating claws 200, the electric screwdriver 22 and the blade 210 slide in the y direction (see the arrow in FIG. 11B). The length of the blade 210 in the y direction is adjusted so that it does not come into contact with the rotating claws 200 when the bit of the electric screwdriver 22 abuts against the head of the screw 24 (see FIG. 12A). In this state, the electric screwdriver 22 is further moved in the y direction while rotating the bit, and the screw 24 begins to be driven in. When a part of the screw 24 is driven into the panel 20, the screw 24 stabilizes and the extension direction does not easily change (FIG. 12B). Here, the length of the blade 210 is adjusted so that when the screw 24 is stabilized, the blade 210 enters between the rotating claws 200 and the rotating claws 200 begin to rotate. When the rotating claw 200 starts to rotate, as shown in FIG. 13(A), the rotating claw 200 moves away from the screw 24, but because the screw 24 is stabilized, there is no risk of the screw 24 falling off or tilting.

When the electric screwdriver 22 is slid in the y direction while rotating the bit, the head of the screw 24 overlaps with the rotary claw 200 in the x direction (Figure 13 (B)). However, the blade 210 penetrates between the rotary claws 200 and rotates them further, so a sufficient distance can be secured between the rotary claws 200, and interference between the head of the screw 24 and the rotary claw 200 can be prevented. After the screw 24 is driven in, the electric screwdriver 22 or the front panel 122 is slid in the opposite direction, and the blade 210 moves away from the rotary claw 200. At this time, the restoring force of the elastic body arranged in the spring base 202 acts on the pin 204, causing the rotary claw 200 to close and the initial state to be restored.

3. Method of Fixing Panel to Furring Strips Hereinafter, a method of fixing the panel 20 to the furring strips 18 installed on the building 10 using the above-described jig 100 will be described.

3-1. Installation of the jig First, the panel 20 is transported to a predetermined position (FIG. 1(A)). A lifting machine such as a crane may be used for the transport. If another panel 20 has already been installed and a new panel 20 is to be placed on top of that panel 20, the new panel 20 may be installed so that the rails 20a of the lower panel 20 are sandwiched between the rails 20b of the new panel 20 (see FIG. 1(B)).

Then, the jig 100 is fixed to the furring strip 18 using the fixing unit 150. The jig 100 can be fixed by placing the fitting portion 132 or the support portion 133 on the panel 20. If the driver unit 110 has the fitting portion 132, the fitting portion 132 is placed on the panel 20 so that the hook 136 engages with the rail 20a and the cap plate 134 contacts the rail 20a (see FIG. 5), and then the slide jaw 156 is slid in the y direction toward the driver unit 110 while sandwiching the furring strip 18 and the panel 20 (see FIG. 7(A)). If the driver unit 110 has the support portion 133, the cap plate 135 is placed on a pair of rails 20a. By placing the fitting portion 132 or the support portion 133 on the panel 20, the jig 100 can be easily placed at a predetermined position on the panel 20, so that the fixing of the jig 100 can be performed as a task within the building 10.

Then, the electric screwdriver 22 is placed on the deck 124 (see FIG. 3(A)). This causes the electric screwdriver 22 to be supported by the support mechanism. Meanwhile, the screw 24 is attached to the screw holder. For example, the screw 24 may be clamped between a pair of sliding plates 170 or a pair of rotating claws 180. Note that a recess may be formed in advance in the panel 20 (e.g., end 20d) at the position where the tip of the screw 24 abuts against the panel 20 to facilitate insertion of the screw 24.

The panel 20 may be transported to a predetermined position after some of the screws 24 are driven into the panel 20. In this case, a jig 100 that does not have a screw holder may be used.

3-2. Driving the screw Next, start the air compressor, and operate the switch 144 from the building 10 to operate the air cylinder 114. As described above, the operation of the air cylinder 114 causes the slide shaft 116 to slide in the y direction, and the support mechanism connected to the slide shaft 116 to slide in the y direction (see the arrow in FIG. 3(A)). After the bit attached to the sleeve of the electric screwdriver 22 abuts against the head of the screw 24, the trigger of the electric screwdriver 22 is operated to rotate the bit, and the air cylinder 114 is used to apply torque in the y direction to the support mechanism. At this time, if necessary, the sliding plate 170 of the screw holder may be manually opened to release the screw 24. When the screw holder illustrated in FIG. 9 to FIG. 10(B) is used, the operating rod 190 rotates the third disk 182, which opens the rotating claw 180 to automatically release the screw 24. When the screw 24 penetrates the panel 20 and reaches the furring strip 18, and the head of the screw 24 comes into contact with the end 20d, the screw driving is completed (see FIG. 6(A)). If the direction of the screw 24 deviates from the y direction, the driver unit 110 can be manually moved appropriately to fine-tune the sliding direction.

When the striking is completed, the air cylinder 114 is stopped. After that, for example, the air cylinder 114 is put into a neutral state and the driver unit 110 is moved in the reverse direction. Alternatively, a torque may be applied to the slide shaft 116 so as to move it away from the panel 20. Through the above process, the panel 20 can be fixed to the furring strip 18.

As described above, by using the jig 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, all of the work of fixing the panel 20 to the furring strip 18 can be done on the furring strip 18 side, i.e., inside the building 10. For this reason, in the past, in order to fix the panel 20, it was necessary to fix scaffolding around the building 10 and place workers outside the building 10 to perform the work, but by applying the method using the jig 100, it is no longer necessary to assemble and remove the scaffolding, making it possible to significantly shorten the construction period and reduce construction costs. In addition, the effects of weather can also be reduced. Furthermore, since the workers can work inside the building 10, they are freed from unstable work on the scaffolding and can work in a safer environment.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be combined as appropriate to the extent that they are not mutually inconsistent. Any embodiment in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds or deletes components or modifies the design is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it contains the gist of the present invention.

Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the above-mentioned embodiments, if they are clear from the description in this specification or can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art, they are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention.

10: Building, 12: Foundation beam, 14: Body, 16: Body, 18: Furring strip, 20: Panel, 20a: Rail, 20b: Rail, 20c: Main surface, 20d: End, 20e: Back, 22: Electric driver, 24: Screw, 100: Jig, 110: Driver unit, 112: Platform, 114: Air cylinder, 114a: Groove, 116: Slide shaft, 118: Inlet, 120: Outlet, 122: Front panel, 122a: Opening, 124: Deck, 126: Back panel, 128: Side rest, 130: Hanger, 132: Fitting, 133: Support, 134: Cap plate, 135: Cap plate, 136: Hook, 136a: Part, 136b: Part, 138: Spacer, 140: First disc, 140a: Opening, 142: Bolt, 144: Switch, 150: Fixing unit, 152: Second disc, 154: Arm, 156: Slide jaw, 158: Spindle, 160: Handle, 170: Sliding plate, 170a: Opening, 170b: Notch, 172: Anchor bolt, 180: Rotating claw, 180-1: Rotating claw, 180a: Protrusion, 180b: Notch, 182: Third disc, 182a: Notch, 184: Lever, 186: Roller, 190: Operating rod, 200: Rotating claw, 200-1: Rotating claw, 200-2: Rotating claw, 202: Spring base, 204: Pin, 206: Lever, 208: Base plate, 210: Blade

Claims (11)

A jig for fixing the panel to the furring strip.
A driver unit and a fixing unit coupled to the driver unit,
The driver unit includes:
A support mechanism configured to support an electric screwdriver; and a slide mechanism that reversibly slides the support mechanism on a first axis,
The fixed unit is
an arm connected to the driver unit; and a sliding jaw fixed to the arm and configured to slide on the first axis or an axis parallel to the first axis,
The first axis is coaxial with an axis of the screw when the screw is attached to the electric screwdriver. The jig according to claim 1, wherein the driver unit is connected to the slide mechanism and further has a fitting portion that engages with one side of the panel. The jig of claim 1, wherein the arm is configured to rotate about the first axis. The driver unit further includes a first disk facing the slide jaw,
The jig of claim 1 , wherein the first disk has an opening through which the first shaft passes. The fixing unit further includes a second disk;
the second disk surrounds the first disk, faces the slide jaw, is fixed to the arm, and rotates about the first axis;
The fixture of claim 4 , wherein the clamping unit is configured to sandwich the panel and the furring strip between the second disc and the sliding jaw. The support mechanism includes:
A deck on the slide mechanism;
a back panel attached to the deck; and a front panel attached to the deck and facing the back panel on the first axis,
The jig of claim 1 , wherein the front panel includes an opening configured to receive a portion of the power screwdriver. the slide mechanism has a slide shaft that slides parallel to the first axis,
The jig of claim 1 , wherein the slide shaft is coupled to the support mechanism. The jig according to claim 4, further comprising a screw holder that supports the screw. the screw holder includes a pair of sliding plates that reversibly slide in a direction perpendicular to the first axis,
The jig of claim 8 , wherein the pair of sliding plates includes opposing notches. The screw holder is
a third disk surrounded by the first disk and rotating about the first axis;
a pair of rotary claws that are surrounded by the third disk and engage with the third disk; and a rotation mechanism that rotates the third disk,
the pair of rotary claws are configured to take an open state and a closed state by reversibly rotating in opposite directions about a second axis and a third axis parallel to the first axis in response to the rotation of the third disk,
In the open state, the screw is supported by being sandwiched between the pair of rotary claws,
The jig according to claim 8 , wherein in the closed state, the screw is released from the pair of rotary claws. the third disk has an opening for receiving the pair of rotary pawls;
Each of the pair of rotary claws has a projection that projects in a direction perpendicular to the first shaft,
The jig according to claim 10 , wherein the third disk and the pair of rotary pawls are engaged with each other by a pair of notches and the protrusions provided on an inner wall of the opening.