EA011978B1 - A method and a device for building automatically conglomerate structures - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the automatic construction of buildings or other heavy constructions by a method and a device suitable for reducing the construction time and for simplifying operations connected with the construction. This method comprises the steps of CAD- modelling a structure through volume or surface modelling steps, sectioning the structure of the computed model with horizontal parallel planes according to a predetermined pitch, preparing an apparatus that deposits in alternation a layer of granular material and a liquid binder only in coincidence with the solid portions of said plane within containing walls that define a closed perimeter. This method can be carried out by an apparatus having a horizontal frame (1) suitable for supporting a bridge crane (15) capable of moving an operating head (16) in a horizontal plane defined by said horizontal frame (1). The frame (1) is movable along four uprights (3, 4, 5, 6) vertically (11,12,13,14), the bridge crane (15) slides horizontally (18), and the operating head slides horizontally (19).

Description

The present invention relates to the construction and, in particular, to the automatic construction of buildings or other heavy structures using a method and device suitable for reducing construction time and for simplifying the operations associated with it. The present invention is also used for the construction of particularly articulated and complex structures.

Prior art

There are many ways to build buildings using different technologies for the construction work and materials.

A well-known technology uses concrete, which is poured into a semi-fluid form in the formwork. According to this technology, volumetric concrete structures are obtained, having the form of used formwork.

This technology has the disadvantage of having to perform complex work to obtain complex shapes with convex and concave elements, mainly due to the complexity of providing complex formwork and due to the low tensile strength of concrete, which requires the use of steel reinforcement, which must be bent in according to the formwork form.

Another disadvantage is the cost of manual work on the production of formwork before pouring concrete and when removing the formwork after curing.

Another disadvantage is the cost of the formwork material.

Another disadvantage of the concrete construction method is the waiting time required for curing.

Thus, there is a need for a method of building structures that would be fast and inexpensive, suitable for the implementation of an automatic method.

Summary of Invention

A feature of the present invention, therefore, is a method of automatically constructing buildings and performing other work in the construction industry.

Another feature of the invention is the creation of a method for constructing buildings consisting of volumetric elements of even complex shape, including also concave or convex surfaces, and cropped sections of any shape and size.

Another goal is to create a method suitable for creating structures that are resistant not only to compression, but even to tensile stresses.

Another feature of the invention is the creation of an apparatus suitable for implementing this method.

These and other objectives are achieved by the method of automatic construction of conglomerated structures, characterized in that it includes the stages

CAD modeling of the structure, in particular, with the function of CAD surface modeling or volume modeling with obtaining a computer file of the construction model;

cross sections of the specified computer file of the construction model with horizontal parallel planes with a predetermined step for obtaining a plurality of construction cross-section planes, including solid image portions and empty portions corresponding to solid and empty parts of the structure, moreover, these planes are sorted upwards;

preparing an apparatus suitable for alternately laying a layer of granular material and a liquid binder inside enclosing walls forming a closed perimeter;

move the specified device within the specified perimeter for uniform stacking of the first horizontal layer of granular inert material with a thickness corresponding to the specified pre-specified step;

spraying the first layer of the binder using the specified device to reproduce the first plane of the specified cross-sectional planes, with the formation of a layer of inert material and a binder only on the specified continuous sections, moreover, the specified device has a working head capable of moving in a horizontal plane;

vertical lifting of the specified apparatus in accordance with the specified step;

repeating the stage of laying the granular inert material and repeating the stage of spraying a binder onto it according to the number of horizontal cross sections of the structure, each time for another, next vertical plane of the cross section, until the last layer is completed;

removal of inert material that has not been sealed with a binder and which accumulates inside the specified perimeter, with the release of one-piece design, exactly repeating the specified design model.

In particular, this method involves the stage of drawing the shells of the specified structure or part thereof using a set of unit volumes that form the outer boundary of the specified structure.

In particular, said unit volumes are selected from the group consisting of parallelepipeds, cylinders, prisms, spheres, or their parts or combinations.

- 1 011978

Preferably, said unit volumes have edges or vertical generators parallel to the vertical sides of said structure, and horizontal edges parallel to the horizontal planes of said structure.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, said parallel and horizontal cross-sectional planes are equidistant from each other.

Preferably, a process automation system (CAP) is provided having a graphical environment suitable for displaying said design model file.

It is always preferable that the specified apparatus includes a working head guided on a specified horizontal plane with independent movement or interpolated movement in Cartesian or polar coordinates.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for automatically constructing conglomerated structures is characterized in that it includes a closed perimeter formed by enclosing walls;

a horizontal frame suitable for supporting a bridge crane capable of moving the working head in a horizontal plane formed by said horizontal frame inside said perimeter;

means for actuating said working head on said horizontal plane parallel to said bridge crane;

a frame structure having at least one rack capable of supporting said horizontal frame;

means for moving said horizontal frame in a vertical direction;

a control unit suitable for controlling the sequence of operations until the completion of said structure;

where the specified enclosing walls are capable of holding the specified inert material in a working space that has larger dimensions than the specified conglomerate structure.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, said enclosing walls are vertical and form a parallelepiped or a cylindrical volume in said working space.

Preferably, a roof is provided to form the roof above the enclosing walls.

In particular, the said coating is capable of sealing the specified volume in such a way that a vacuum can be created inside.

Preferably, said operating head includes at least one binder spray nozzle actuated by a controlled electric valve;

pre-mixing head;

feed pump;

storage tank;

washing system.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, said working head includes a volumetric dosing unit for supplying a known amount of inert material to said working head for each working stroke.

Preferably, said working head includes a knife intended to slide over the laid inert material in order to level it in order to achieve a predetermined thickness in the entire working space.

In particular, said resin is selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins;

cross-linked polyurethane.

Preferably, said resin has a viscosity in the range from 3 to 10 Poise (P), preferably from 6 to 8 P, and is sufficiently fluid to penetrate between the granules of granular material to a depth corresponding to the specified pitch, thus reaching a layer of granular material, processed at the previous stage.

In particular, said granular material has a particle size distribution in the range from 0.1 to 2 mm, preferably from 0.5 to 1.5 mm. Thus, the granular material has a value of maximum effective porosity, designed to ensure the penetration of the specified binder between the laid granules before reaching the layer already filled with the binder in the previous cycle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be explained by describing some of its approximate versions, illustrative, but not limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for the automatic construction of a conglomerated structure in accordance with the present invention, comprising a horizontal frame with a vertical slip.

- 2 011978 em, on which the overhead crane supporting the working head was slidable;

FIG. 2 shows the end portion of the specified bridge crane;

FIG. 3 and 4 depict, respectively, a perspective view and a front view of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, FIG. 5 is a view of the working head in the first working stage of laying a certain amount of granular material;

FIG. 6-8 depict an apparatus in accordance with the invention at the stage of leveling a granular material on the open surface of a previously laid layer;

FIG. 9-11 depict the apparatus at the end of the working course of leveling the binder;

FIG. 12-14 depict the apparatus during the return stroke, when the working head sprays the binder on the newly laid layer of granular material only on continuous sections of the cross section;

FIG. 15-17 depict the final part of the spray stroke;

FIG. 18-20 depict the repetition of the first stage with further sneaking of a certain amount of granular material;

FIG. 21 and 22 depict respectively a perspective view and a vertical section in the final stages of the completion of the structure.

FIG. 23 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of a structure comprising two layers of granular material 61 and 62, laid in two successive stages.

Description of the preferred embodiments of the invention

The following is a description of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus implementing the method in accordance with the invention.

In particular, in FIG. 1 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention, suitable for the manufacture of automatically conglomerate structures of structures. It includes a frame structure having four racks 3, 4, 5, 6 capable of supporting a horizontal frame 1 moving vertically along such racks.

The horizontal frame 1 has a closed shape with at least two parallel sides 2 for engaging with the possibility of sliding with two ends of the bridge crane 15, which holds the working head 16.

In general, the working head 16 moves in the direction of the arrow 19 perpendicular to the direction of movement 18 of the bridge crane 15, and the frame 1 can be moved vertically along the arrows 11, 12, 13, 14.

FIG. 2 shows the final part of the bridge crane 15 in more detail. The design of the bridge crane 15 includes a yoke 21 having at each end a pair of wheels 23 which engage with the inside of the beams 2 in FIG. 1. The guide 20 is made in one piece with and parallel to the traverse 21 and slidably holds the carriage 24 of the working head 16, capable of spraying a liquid binder on the newly laid layer of granular material. The traverse 21 supports an elongated hopper 17 elongated along the length of the traverse 21 and intended for applying a predetermined amount of granular material on one end of the laying plane. Along the traverse 21 is a knife for leveling the granular material, just laid above the bunker 17.

FIG. 3 and 4 are respectively a perspective view and a front view of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, and FIG. 5 shows a view of the working head 16 in the first working stage of laying a certain amount of granular material when the frame 1 is in the zero position (ground level), the overhead crane 15 is in its first stop position and the working head 16 is in its first stop position.

The apparatus includes four enclosing walls 31, forming a volume that must be filled with a granular material in accordance with the method of the invention.

FIG. 6-8 depict the apparatus in accordance with the invention at the stage of leveling the granular material on the open surface of the previously laid layer. At this stage, the bridge crane 15 moves in the direction of its second end stop, distributing and leveling the granular material, laid at the previous stage, with the help of a knife 22.

FIG. 9-11 depict the apparatus at the end of the previous stage. The frame 1 is still at ground level, the bridge crane 15 has reached its second end stop and is stationary, and the working head 16 is still at its first end stop.

FIG. 12-14 depict the apparatus at the reverse stage, when the working head 16 sprays a binder on a layer of granular material only on solid sections of the calculated cross-section. At this stage, the frame 1 is still at the zero level, the overhead crane 15 goes back and the working head 16 sprays the binder and moves along its sliding axis.

FIG. 15-17 depict the apparatus at the end of the spraying stage, when the frame 1 is still at ground level, the overhead crane 15 and the working head 16 are moved back to the first end stop. In this position, the dispenser 40 of the bridge crane 15 is filled with the amount of granular material, which

- 3 011978 should be laid in the next stage.

FIG. 18-20 depict the repetition of the previous stages, in particular the first stage, at the second level of installation, achieved by raising the frame 1 to a height equal to the step. At this stage, the amount of granular material accumulated at the previous stage is laid using the dispenser 40. When the frame 1 is raised to a pitch height, the overhead crane 15 and the working head 16 are in the position of their respective first end stops.

FIG. 21 the apparatus performs the last stage before the completion of the construction of the conglomerated structure.

FIG. 22 construction of building 50 is completed. The next stages are the removal of granular material, not cemented by the binder, resulting in a cemented portion, and thus the structure, and the removal of the enclosing walls and then the apparatus.

FIG. 23 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of a structure comprising two layers of granular material 61 and 62, laid in two successive stages. The resin is selected from the group consisting of epoxy resin and crosslinked polyurethane; it has a viscosity in the range from 3 to 10 P, preferably from 6 to 8 P, and is sufficiently fluid to penetrate between the granules of the granular material to a depth corresponding to step 68, thereby reaching the previously formed layer 64 of granular material.

In particular, the specified granular material has a particle size distribution in the range from 0.1 to 2 mm, preferably from 0.5 to 1.5 mm; Thus, the granular material has a maximum effective porosity, ensuring the penetration of the specified binder between the laid granules until it reaches the layer already processed in the previous cycle.

The above description of specific versions of the invention so fully discloses the invention from a conceptual point of view that other specialists, using the current level of knowledge, will be able to modify and / or adapt various applications of such options without further research and without going beyond the invention, and therefore understand that such adaptations and modifications should be considered equivalent to specific versions. Means and materials for the implementation of the various functions described here may have a different nature, without leaving, for this reason, outside the scope of the invention. It should be noted that the phraseology or terminology used in the patent is intended to describe and not to limit the scope of the claims.

Claims (14)

CLAIM 1. The method of automatic construction of conglomerate structures, characterized in that it includes the stages of modeling using CAD of the structure of the structure, in particular, with the CAD function of surface modeling or volume modeling, to obtain a computer file of the structure model; sections of said computer file of the model of construction by horizontal parallel planes, in particular equidistant planes with a predetermined step, to obtain a plurality of planes of the structural cross-section, including sections of a solid image and empty sections corresponding to solid and empty parts of a structure, said planes being sorted from bottom to top; preparing, inside the enclosing walls forming a closed perimeter, an apparatus suitable for alternately laying a layer of granular material and a liquid binder; moving the specified apparatus within the specified perimeter for uniformly laying the first horizontal layer of granular inert material with a thickness corresponding to the specified predefined step; spraying the first binder layer with the help of the specified apparatus to reproduce the first plane of the indicated cross-section planes with the formation of a layer of inert material and a binder only in the indicated solid sections, and this apparatus has a working head that can move in a horizontal plane; vertical lifting of the specified apparatus in accordance with the specified step; repeating the step of laying the granular inert material and repeating the step of spraying the binder on it in the number of horizontal cross sections of the structure, each time for a different and vertical vertical plane of the cross section until the last layer is completed; removing inert material that has not been bonded with a binder and which accumulates inside the specified perimeter, with the release of an integral structure that accurately reproduces the specified model of the structure. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said modeling stage comprises the step of rendering shells of a specified structure or a portion thereof using a plurality of elementary volumes and, in particular, said unit volumes are selected from the group consisting of parallelepipeds, qi - 4 011978 lindres, prisms, spheres or their parts or combinations. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said unit volumes have vertical edges or vertical generatrices parallel to the vertical sides of said structure and have horizontal edges parallel to horizontal planes of said structure. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a working head guided on a specified horizontal plane with independent movement or interpolated movement in Cartesian or polar coordinates. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said resin is selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins; crosslinked polyurethane. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said resin has a viscosity in the range from 3 to 10 P, preferably from 6 to 8 P, and has sufficient fluidity to penetrate between the granules of the granular material to a depth corresponding to the specified step, thereby reaching the layer previously formed granular material. 7. The method according to claim 1, in which the specified granular material has a particle size distribution in the range from 0.1 to 2 mm, preferably from 0.5 to 1.5 mm, so that it has a maximum effective porosity that allows the penetration of the specified binder between stacked granules until a layer has already been processed in the previous cycle. 8. Apparatus for the automatic construction of conglomerate structures, characterized in that it includes a closed perimeter formed by enclosing walls; a horizontal frame suitable for supporting a bridge crane capable of moving the working head in a horizontal plane formed by the specified horizontal frame inside the specified perimeter; means for actuating the specified working head on the specified horizontal plane parallel to the specified bridge crane; a frame structure having at least one rack capable of supporting said horizontal frame; means for moving said horizontal frame in a vertical direction; a control unit capable of controlling the sequence of operations until completion of the design; where these enclosing walls are able to hold the specified inert material in the working space having a larger size than the specified conglomerate design. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which the specified working head includes a knife designed to slide on a laid inert material to level it to achieve a predetermined thickness throughout the workspace. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, in which these enclosing walls are vertical and form a parallelepiped or cylindrical volume in the specified working space. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, in which a coating is provided for creating a roof over said enclosing walls. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said coating is capable of hermetically closing said volume so that a vacuum can be created inside. 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said working head includes at least one binder spray nozzle driven by a controlled electric valve; pre-mixing head; feed pump; storage tank; flushing system. 14. The apparatus of claim 8, in which the specified working head includes a volumetric dispenser for feeding into the specified working head a certain amount of inert material for each working stroke.