JP7734949B2 - Ceiling Work Tool System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ceiling work tool system used for drilling anchor holes in ceiling slabs, air conditioning equipment intake and exhaust holes, lighting fixture mounting holes, and other ceiling processing work.

Known devices for drilling holes in portions of ceiling slabs include the automatic ceiling drilling machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the drilling device disclosed in Patent Document 2. The automatic ceiling drilling machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a lifting section with an extendable mast mounted on a carriage, a turntable that is mounted on the extendable mast so that it rotates, and a cutting tool attached to the turntable. The cutting action of the cutting tool and the rotation of the turntable automatically drill the desired hole in the ceiling.

The drilling device disclosed in Patent Document 2 consists of a drilling machine attached to a carriage. The drilling machine is capable of moving forward and backward and sideways on the carriage to the drilling position, and is further equipped with a jack arm that fixes the position of the carriage or drilling machine, and a stroke sensor that regulates the forward and backward movement stroke during cutting.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-307076 Patent No. 3076530

The automatic ceiling drilling machine in Patent Document 1 drills holes using a cutting tool attached to a rotating turntable, so cutting accuracy depends on the accuracy of the turntable's rotation, and there are limits to how much accuracy can be improved. Furthermore, it does not take measures to prevent irregular stresses from the ceiling or floor during cutting, or vibrations caused by runout of the turntable and cutting tool, so it is unable to suppress noise generation. The same is true of the drilling device in Patent Document 2, which does not take measures to prevent noise generation.

Furthermore, when constructing ceiling slabs, there is a need to use tools to drill holes near side walls, inside corners, outside corners, etc., but both the automatic ceiling drilling machine of Patent Document 1 and the drilling device of Patent Document 2 have a large portion of the equipment that is parallel to the floor surface, making it difficult to place them close to corners. This is also true for tool systems of this type other than those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, and improvements were desired.

In light of the above background, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a ceiling work tool system that enables ceiling surface processing work without generating noise. Other objectives of the present invention will become apparent from the disclosure of this specification.

One aspect of the present invention is a ceiling work tool system mounted on a cart, comprising: a first frame erected on a portion of the cart facing the ceiling surface; a second frame housed within the first frame and raised and lowered toward the ceiling surface by the lifting mechanism of the first frame; a ceiling surface stopper housed within the second frame and raised and lowered toward a working area on the ceiling surface by the lifting mechanism of the second frame; and a work tool; the ceiling surface stopper is characterized by including a vibration-absorbing member that ensures a working area for the work tool while absorbing vibrations received from the ceiling surface when the work tool is in operation.

According to this invention, vibrations experienced during work are absorbed by the vibration-absorbing member, enabling work to be performed in a quiet environment. Furthermore, because the work tools are housed in the second frame, which is then housed in the first frame, transport, movement, and work near the side walls of the ceiling are easier, allowing for more maneuverable work.

1 is an external perspective view of a ceiling work tool system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a lifting mechanism provided in the ceiling work tool system. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a state in which the lifting mechanism is extended. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged front view of the lower structure of the ceiling work tool system when it is moving. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged front view of the lower structure of the ceiling work tool system during operation. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged front view of the upper structure when the ceiling work tool system is moving. FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged front view of the upper structure of the ceiling work tool system during operation. An explanatory diagram of the marking function. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the ceiling work tool system is moving. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the second lifting frame starts to rise. Schematic diagram showing the state in which the ceiling reaction force receiving portion abuts the ceiling surface. Schematic diagram showing the state in which the floor reaction force receiving portion abuts the floor surface. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the tip bit of the drill unit is raised toward the work site. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the tip bit of the drill unit has entered the work area.

A ceiling work tool system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. There are many different types of work tools used in ceiling work, but in this example, we will describe an example in which the present invention is applied to a work tool system that drills ceiling slabs using a servo motor, which is a type of electric motor, and a wet drill unit.

For ease of explanation, the three-dimensional axes XYZ are set on the drawing, with the +X direction being the forward direction, the -X direction being the backward direction, the X direction being the front-to-back direction, the +Z direction being the vertically upward or upward direction, the -Z direction being the downward direction, the +Y direction being the right direction, the -Y direction being the left direction, the Y direction being the left-to-right direction, looking from the left to the right (or vice versa) being called a side view, looking from above down being called a top view, looking from the front being called a front view, and looking from the rear being called a rear view.

[Configuration and Function]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of an overhead work tool system 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the exterior of a lifting mechanism provided in the overhead work tool system 1, partially showing the rear side of the lifting mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view showing the lifting mechanism in an extended state.
Fig. 4 is a partial enlarged front view of the lower structure when the ceiling work tool system 1 is moving, Fig. 5 is a partial enlarged front view of the lower structure when the ceiling work tool system 1 is working, Fig. 6 is a partial enlarged front view of the upper structure when the ceiling work tool system 1 is moving, and Fig. 7 is a partial enlarged front view of the upper structure when the ceiling work tool system 1 is working.

As shown in these figures, the ceiling work tool system 1 is configured by mounting the main devices and components, including the work tools used for ceiling work, on a cart 100. The cart 100 includes a box-shaped bottom frame 101, a planar joint plate 102, a box-shaped equipment storage frame 104, and casters 105. The casters 105 are fixed to each of the four corners of the bottom frame 101, with the wheels 106 rotatably clamped between them. The equipment storage frame 104 is equipped with a battery 200 that supplies power to electrical equipment including the work tools, a water circulation device 300 that supplies and drains cooling water to the work tools, and a control panel 400 equipped with an interface for controlling and monitoring the operation of the rotary drive source, lifting mechanism, etc.

The joint plate 102 is a metal plate that is fixed to the bottom frame 101 in front of the bottom frame 101, parallel to the floor surface. The size of the joint plate 102 when viewed from above is slightly larger than the external size of the lifting mechanism and is approximately the same size as the short side of the cart 100. The joint plate 102 has a roughly rectangular opening in the approximate center.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the ceiling work tool system 1 of this embodiment comprises a first lifting frame 120 erected vertically upward from the cart 100, a second lifting frame 130 that is housed in the first lifting frame 120 during transport or movement and is controlled to protrude vertically upward by the lifting mechanism of the first lifting frame 120 during work, a drill unit 10 that is housed in the second lifting frame 130 during transport or movement and protrudes toward the work site on the ceiling surface by the lifting mechanism of the second lifting frame 130 during work, a water absorption unit 20, a ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 that is parallel to the ceiling surface, etc.

The first lifting frame 120 and the second lifting frame 130 each have a pair of opposing side walls. The opposing side walls are reinforced with reinforcing plates screwed at a predetermined interval. A guide rail 121 protruding linearly in the Z direction is formed on the side wall of the first lifting frame 120 facing the second lifting frame 130, and a guide is formed on the side wall of the second lifting frame 130 for fitting the guide rail 121 of the first lifting frame 120. With the second lifting frame 130 supported by the guide rail 121 and the guide, the lifting mechanism of the first lifting frame 120, for example, a first lifting ball screw 122 with a male thread, is inserted into the end of the second lifting frame 130 with a female thread, and the first lifting ball screw 122 is rotated by a first lifting motor 124. This allows the second lift frame 130 to protrude vertically upward from the first lift frame 120 or be retracted vertically downward. The timing and rotation speed of the first lift motor 124 are controlled by the control device on the operation panel 400.

The lower ends of the pair of side walls of the first lifting frame 120 pass through the opening in the joint plate 102 so that they can be raised and lowered freely and are joined to the floor reaction force receiving plate 40. However, guide locks are provided on the inside of each side wall immediately below the joint plate 102, which restrict the amount of lifting of the first lifting frame 120 to a certain level or less.

The floor reaction force receiving plate 40 is a metal plate placed parallel to the floor surface. As shown in Figure 4, it is separated from the floor surface FL during transport or movement, but as shown in Figure 5, during operation, it abuts the floor surface FL directly or indirectly (for example, when a cushioning material is interposed) and functions as a floor stopper. In this case, the floor reaction force receiving plate 40 receives stress (reaction force) from the floor surface FL. In addition, gas springs GS2 and GS3 and linear guides LG1 and LG2 that guide the movement of gas springs GS2 and GS3 in the Z direction are provided between the joint plate 102 and specified outer positions of the pair of side walls of the first lifting frame 120.

The linear guides LG1 and LG2 are components that linearly guide the first lifting frame 120 so that its posture does not deviate from a line parallel to the Z axis during lifting and operation. The gas springs GS2 and GS3 are components that use the reaction force of compressed gas as a spring. Compared to metal coils, they have a smaller outer diameter and are lighter, and have a large initial load and a small elastic constant, which gives them the advantage of providing a consistent elastic force over a wide stroke range. In this embodiment, the gas springs GS2 and GS3 are used as vibration-absorbing members that absorb vibrations caused by reaction forces (stresses) acting on the floor reaction force receiving plate 40. The reaction force includes a force capable of supporting the weight of the first lifting frame 120 and the second lifting frame 130.
Although not shown in FIG. 1, a gas spring (GS2) and a linear guide (LG1) are also provided on the other side wall of the first lifting frame 120, as shown in FIGS.

A second ball screw 132 with a male thread and its support member are also provided in the space between the side walls of the second lifting frame 130. The second ball screw 132 acts as one of the lifting mechanisms for raising and lowering the drill unit 10, water absorption unit 20, etc. toward the ceiling surface, and is driven to rotate by a second lifting motor 134 provided at the lower end of the second lifting frame 130. The timing and rotation speed of the second lifting motor 134 are also controlled by the control device of the operation panel 400. The first ball screw 122 and second ball screw 132 are positioned so that they do not overlap when viewed from above.

A height adjustment table 111 and its support member 112 are detachably attached to the lower base of the second lifting frame 130. The height adjustment table 111 is used to adjust the amount of lift of the second lifting frame 130 afterwards. The support member 112 is threaded with a female screw and also serves as a support member for the first ball screw 122.

The drill unit 10, which is housed in the second lifting frame 130 during transport or movement and protrudes from the second lifting frame 130 during operation, is equipped with a water intake unit 20 and a ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 that is parallel to the ceiling surface. Additionally, multiple guide blocks 133 are formed on the inside of the upper end side wall of the second lifting frame 130 to prevent the drill unit 10 and other components from slipping off when fully extended, as shown in Figure 3.

The drill unit 10 comprises a servo motor 11, which serves as the rotational drive source, a rotational force transmission unit 12, and a tip bit attachment shank 13. A tip bit 14, whose tip is shaped at an angle that allows it to simultaneously drill holes in metal plates and concrete plates, is removably attached to the tip bit attachment shank 13.

A work hole 31 that is U-shaped when viewed from above is formed in the approximate center of the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30. This work hole 31 ensures a work area for the drill unit 10. The portion of the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 other than the work hole 31 functions as a protective member that protects the tip bit 14 of the drill unit 10.
The water suction unit 20 is connected to a water circulation device 300, and supplies cooling water to the water suction shank of the drill unit 10, and includes a member for absorbing metal chips, concrete slag, etc. generated during work.

The ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 is a metal plate placed parallel to the ceiling surface. It is a generally rectangular flat plate measuring between 10 cm and 18 cm in length and width, but may have an uneven shape between it and the ceiling surface. When the ceiling work tool system 1 is transported or moved, the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 is separated from the ceiling surface CE as shown in Figure 6, and during operation, it functions as a ceiling surface stopper that abuts against the ceiling surface CE as shown in Figure 7. At that time, the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 receives stress (reaction force) from the ceiling surface CE. Therefore, the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 is also provided with a vibration-absorbing member similar to the floor surface stopper 40.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, an example of a vibration-absorbing member is shown. That is, one end of a gas spring GS1 and one end of a pair of linear shafts LS are fixed to the back surface (the surface opposite the ceiling surface) of the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30. The gas spring GS1 is equivalent to the gas springs GS2 and GS3 described above, and its other end is fixed to the outer wall of the rotational force transmission section 12 of the drill unit 10. Note that the other end of the gas spring GS1 may be fixed to another location. The other end of the linear shaft LS slidably passes through a linear bushing LB fixed to the tip bit mounting shank 13, forming the free end.

The linear bushing LB is a type of linear motion mechanism that utilizes the rolling of steel balls, allowing for infinite linear motion as long as the length of the linear shaft LS that passes through it is uninterrupted. In other words, there is extremely little resistance when the linear shaft LS passes through and displaces, and vibrations are absorbed, suppressing the generation of noise, thereby suppressing core wobble of the drill unit 10, absorbing vibrations, and providing sound insulation.

Note that although Figures 6 and 7 only show one set of linear shaft LS and linear bush LB, there is another set behind it. Therefore, the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 functions as a ceiling surface stopper that is elastically supported at three points: the pair of linear shafts LS and one gas spring GS1. This ensures that vibrations caused by stress (reaction force) from the ceiling surface can be absorbed reliably. Note that it is also possible to use only one of the gas spring GS1, linear shaft LS, and linear bush LB as a vibration-damping member.

A first sensor D1 is fixed to a predetermined location on the tip bit mounting shank 13, while a second sensor D2 is fixed to the free end of the linear shaft LS of the pair of linear shafts LS closest to the first sensor D1. The first sensor D1 and second sensor D2 are provided to detect the relative position of the drill unit 10. The sensor output (output of the first sensor D1) is sent to a control device built into the operation panel 400 and is used to control the lifting speed of the lifting mechanism of the first lifting frame 120 and/or second lifting frame 130.

For example, in the control device of the operation panel 400, the lifting mechanism of the first lifting frame 120 and the lifting mechanism of the second lifting frame 130 are raised and lowered at a first speed until the drill unit 10 reaches a predetermined threshold value (for example, the distance from the ceiling surface CE to the tip bit of the drill unit 10 reaches approximately 5 cm) from the initial position, and when the relative position of the drill unit 10 exceeds the threshold value, the lifting mechanism of the first lifting frame 120 and the lifting mechanism of the second lifting frame 130 are raised and lowered at a second speed slower than the first speed.
This allows the drill bit 10 or the like to be raised and lowered (raised) at a relatively high speed until the threshold value is reached, thereby shortening the time until work can begin.

The ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 also has a marking function. That is, as shown in the partially enlarged view of Figure 8, on the surface portion of the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 facing the ceiling surface CE, two irradiators LD1 and LD2 are provided at positions equidistant radially from the center and approximately 90 degrees apart in the circumferential direction, each irradiating a line laser in the same angular direction. The irradiation timing of each irradiator LD1 and LD2 is controlled by the control device of the operation panel 300.

The irradiation line of the line laser emitted from each irradiator LD1, LD2 is designed so that the point where it intersects with the other irradiation line becomes the rotation axis of the drill unit 10. Therefore, this intersecting point represents the work area WP, which is the starting point for work by the drill unit 10. The worker can position the work area WP simply by moving the cart 100 so that it is at the desired position, making it easy to move and operate the cart 100 to the desired work area WP, and allowing for quick work.

It should be noted that there may be three or more irradiators LD1 and LD2. Furthermore, it is also possible to use irradiators other than line lasers, such as two-dimensional beam light or cameras, to achieve a function equivalent to marking.

[Example of operation]
Next, an example of the operation of the ceiling work tool system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 14, which schematically show the state of the ceiling work tool system 1. In these figures, Ca is a straight line (axis) extending from the rotation axis of the drill unit 10, and indicates the relationship between the layout of the ceiling work tool system 1 and the work area WP. In other words, the ceiling work tool system 1 of this embodiment is arranged so that the work area on the ceiling surface CE, the rotation axis of the drill unit 10, and the lifting axes of the first lifting frame 120 and the second lifting frame 130 are aligned. In a front view, the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 is enclosed within the floor reaction force receiving plate 40, and the floor surface stopper is positioned approximately directly below the ceiling surface stopper. Therefore, the work area WP can be machined with the ceiling work tool system 1 stably fixed.

Figure 9 shows the ceiling power tool system 1 in a moving state. The second lifting frame 130 and other components (including the drill unit 10, height adjustment table 111, support member 112, etc.) are housed in the first lifting frame 120.

Once positioned at the work area WP using the above-mentioned marking function, as shown in Figure 10, the lifting mechanism of the first lifting frame 120 causes the second lifting frame 130 and other components to rise linearly toward the ceiling surface CE. At this time, the second lifting frame 130 and other components rise at a first speed until the relative position of the drill unit 10 detected by the first sensor D1 and second sensor D2 reaches a threshold value, at which point the rotational speed is reduced to a second speed.

As shown in Figure 11, when the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 abuts against the ceiling surface CE, the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 functions as a ceiling surface stopper. At this time, the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 is pushed downward by the reaction force, and the gas springs GS1, GS2, and GS3 compress. As a result, as shown in Figure 12, the first lifting frame 120 passes through the cart 100 and descends. The floor reaction force receiving plate 40 then abuts against the floor surface FL and functions as a floor surface stopper. In other words, the ceiling surface stopper and floor surface stopper automatically work together without any operation by the operator.

As shown in Figure 13, when the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 abuts against the ceiling surface CE and the floor reaction force receiving plate 40 abuts against the floor surface FL, gas spring GS1 urges the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 toward the ceiling surface CE, and gas springs GS2 and GS3 urge the floor reaction force receiving plate 40 toward the floor surface FL. This stabilizes the working environment of the ceiling work tool system 1. Once this stability is achieved, as shown in Figure 14, the tip bit 14 of the drill bit 10 penetrates the working hole 31 in the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 and begins processing the work area on the ceiling surface CE.

As described above, in this embodiment, the first lifting frame 120 is erected on the cart 100 at a position facing the ceiling surface CE, the second lifting frame 130 is housed inside the first lifting frame 120 during transport or movement, and the drill bit 10, ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30, etc., housed in the second lifting frame 130 during transport or movement, rise in a relay manner toward the ceiling surface CE during work. This allows the overall height of the ceiling work tool system 1 to be kept low when not in use, making transport and movement extremely easy. For example, even when performing ceiling surface processing work in a large office building where the height from floor to ceiling exceeds 4m, the system can easily fit into elevators with a height of around 2m.

Even during operation, the largest component is the cart 100, followed by the first lifting frame 120. However, because the first lifting frame 120 is attached to the joint plate 102 on the short side of the cart 100, it becomes extremely easy to work, for example, in areas close to the side walls of the ceiling surface CE. Furthermore, the gas spring GS1 absorbs vibrations caused by the reaction force received by the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 from the ceiling surface CE, and the linear shaft LS and linear bushing LB absorb vibrations caused by lateral shaking during operation, significantly reducing noise during operation compared to when these vibration-absorbing members are not used. This means that ceiling surface processing work can be performed in a quiet environment.

In addition, the first lifting frame 120 is erected so that its lower base can be displaced from the carriage 100 toward the floor surface FL, and the lower base is vibration-absorbing with a pair of gas springs GS2, GS3 that absorb external vibrations received when the drill unit 10 is in operation, thereby enabling ceiling surface processing work to be performed in an even quieter environment.

In addition, when the ceiling reaction force receiving plate 30 abuts against the ceiling surface CE and functions as a ceiling surface stopper, the floor reaction force receiving plate 40 also functions as a floor surface stopper in conjunction with this, so the worker can start work quietly in a stable, vibration-free state without having to perform any special operations.

In addition, sensors D1 and D2 are provided to detect whether the relative position of the drill unit 10 has reached a threshold distance to the work site, and the control device of the operation panel 300 controls the drill unit 10 to be raised relatively quickly until the relative position of the drill unit 10 reaches the threshold from the initial position, and then raises the drill unit 10 at a slower speed when the relative position of the drill unit 10 exceeds the threshold, thereby shortening the time until work can begin.

Furthermore, by providing a ceiling work tool system that further includes a display means for displaying the work start point of the work area on the ceiling surface CE, the work area on the ceiling surface can be easily grasped, enabling quick ceiling surface work.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the first lifting frame 120 and the second lifting frame 130 are raised and lowered vertically in a relay manner, but the number of frames that are raised and lowered may be three or more.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example of the wet drill unit 10 has been described, but a dry drill unit or a configuration in which another type of rotary tool is mounted as the power tool may also be used.

Claims (5)

A ceiling work tool system mounted on a cart,
a first frame provided upright at a portion of the carriage facing a ceiling surface;
a second frame housed inside the first frame and raised and lowered toward the ceiling surface by a lifting mechanism of the first frame;
a ceiling surface stopper and a work tool housed inside the second frame and raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism of the second frame toward a work site on the ceiling surface;
the ceiling surface stopper includes a vibration absorbing member that absorbs vibration elements received from the ceiling surface during operation of the power tool while ensuring a working area for the power tool,
The first frame has a lower bottom portion that is erected so as to be displaceable from the cart toward the floor, and the lower bottom portion is provided with a floor stopper via a vibration-absorbing member that absorbs vibration elements received from the outside when the power tool is in operation, and the floor stopper and the ceiling stopper are linked together . The vibration absorbing member is a gas spring having one end fixed to the ceiling surface stopper and the other end fixed to a predetermined portion of the power tool.
The ceiling work tool system according to claim 1 . The ceiling work tool system of claim 1, characterized in that the vibration absorbing member is a linear shaft whose one end is fixed to the ceiling surface stopper and whose other end passes through a linear bushing fixed to a predetermined portion of the work tool. a control unit for controlling the operation of the lifting mechanism of the first frame and/or the lifting mechanism of the second frame;
a position sensor that detects whether the relative position of the power tool reaches a predetermined threshold;
the control means raises the second frame or the power tool at a first speed until the relative position of the power tool reaches the threshold value from the initial position, and raises the second frame or the power tool at a second speed slower than the first speed when the relative position of the power tool exceeds the threshold value.
The ceiling work tool system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . 5. The overhead work tool system according to claim 1 , further comprising a display means for displaying a work start point of a work area on the ceiling surface.