EP1699994B1 - Maintenance device for the wall of a building with a tubular securing structure - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has an operating module (4) and a maintenance module (5). A connecting unit (6) between the modules (4, 5), permits movement of the module (5) on a part of a surface of a wall (2). The module (4) has a securing unit (7) at a tubular binding structure (3), to place the device at the level of the wall. The unit (7) has two rollers (8) in contact with an upper part of the structure (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a maintenance device of a building wall equipped with a tubular lashing structure.

The invention will find its main application in the automatic cleaning of glazed surfaces.

Although particularly intended for such applications, the maintenance device may also be used for the maintenance of walls or other surfaces and in particular by spraying water, steam, air, sand or paint.

Generally, the maintenance of building walls is done by specialized personnel.

For this purpose, the staff use a motorized structure arranged at the terrace of the building equipped with a winch and connected to a basket in which they take place.

The winch is controlled by the personnel of the nacelle which can, therefore, move on at least a portion of the wall and perform the maintenance of the surfaces.

However, these various known devices have different disadvantages and in particular present a significant danger to personnel, given that the nacelle, highly sensitive to wind, is relatively unstable.

Devices are also known comprising a motorized nacelle connected to beams arranged on the terrace of the building for cables.

These devices require significant counterweights on the deck resulting in significant handling constraints and regularly sealing problems at the terraces degraded by the counterweights.

Here again, the nacelle in which the users sit, highly sensitive to the wind, is relatively unstable.

Finally, automatic cleaning devices are known; these consist of a vehicle movable on the roof of the building, said vehicle sliding in rails and a nacelle connected to the truck by cables.

These automatic devices have various disadvantages and, in particular, are particularly difficult to implement given their weight and volume.

In addition, they are not adapted to particular forms of building, in particular, in the case where the terrace of the building is located at a considerable distance below the edges of the wall or when the building has a rim outside at the top of the wall.

The present invention provides for overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks and, for this purpose, proposes an automatic maintenance device for the walls of a building.

The invention also relates to a maintenance device for the maintenance of building walls having outer edges at the upper surface of the wall.

The invention also relates to a light structure maintenance device that can easily be put in place and removed from the building.

The invention also relates to a modular maintenance device in which the maintenance module is selected according to the work to be performed.

A maintenance device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known, for example from the document US 4,811,819 A .

The subject of the invention is thus a device for maintaining a building wall equipped with a tubular lashing structure comprising an operating module, a maintenance module and connection means between the said maneuvering module and said maintenance module for moving the maintenance module on at least a portion of the surface of the wall.

According to the invention, the maneuvering module of the maintenance device comprises securing means on said tubular stowage structure for disposing the entire maintenance device at the wall.

• la figure 1 : une vue d'un exemple de réalisation du dispositif conforme à l'invention placé sur une paroi verticale,
• la figure 2 : une vue du dispositif de la figure 1 placé sur une paroi inclinée,
• la figure 3 : une vue en coupe du dispositif conforme à l'invention,
• la figure 4 : une vue en coupe du dispositif conforme à l'invention.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawing which shows schematically:

• the figure 1 : a view of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention placed on a vertical wall,
• the figure 2 : a view of the device of the figure 1 placed on an inclined wall,
• the figure 3 : a sectional view of the device according to the invention,
• the figure 4 : a sectional view of the device according to the invention.

Referring to the figure 1 it can be seen that the maintenance device 1 is placed on a wall 2 of a building equipped with a tubular stowage structure 3.

Patent application is known EP-1346754 such securing structures.

These structures designed in particular to ensure personal or collective safety consist of assembling sections of tubular section forming a continuous rail at the surface of the wall.

The maintenance device 1 comprises an operating module 4 and a maintenance module 5.

It also comprises connecting means 6 for moving the maintenance module 5 on at least a portion of the surface of the wall 2.

According to the invention, the maneuvering module 4 comprises securing means 7 to the stowage structure 3 making it possible to arrange the whole of the maintenance device 1 at the level of the wall 2.

Referring mainly to Figures 3 and 4 it can be seen that said securing means 7 consist of at least two upper rollers 8 coming into contact with the upper part 9 of the tube of the lashing structure 3 allowing the suspension of the operating module 4 on the structure of stowage 3.

For this purpose, the tread 10 of the upper rollers 8 advantageously matches the profile of the upper part 9 of the tube of the lashing structure 3.

For driving the operating module, it is expected that an upper roller 8 said motor roller is connected via a transmission shaft 11 to a motor 12.

The other upper rollers 8 are connected to the motor roller via a drive belt 13.

In the embodiment of figure 1 to 4 it can be seen that three upper rollers 8 are provided, the motor roller placed between the two other upper rollers 8 being driven by the transmission shaft 11.

However, other embodiments are possible.

For example, it will be possible to use only two upper rollers 8 to fasten the tube of the lashing structure 3 to the tube.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 it is also seen that locking means 14 are provided which come into contact with the lower part 15 of the lashing structure.

These locking means 14 make it possible to prevent the recess of the operating module 4.

Said locking means 14 also make it possible to increase the contact between the upper rollers 8 and the upper part 9 of the tube of the stowage structure 3 facilitating the movement of the operating module 4 along the stowage structure 3.

Advantageously, said locking means 14 consist of at least one adjustable lower roller 16.

When setting up the operating module 4, the spacing between the upper rollers 8 and the lower roller 16 is calculated to allow a sufficient passage allowing the suspension of the operating module 4.

The gap between the upper rollers 8 and the lower roller 16 is then reduced by moving the latter until it comes into contact with the lower part 15 of the lashing structure 3.

It is also advantageously provided at the level of the operating module 4, at least one wheel 17 arranged in the direction of movement of the operating module 4 and coming into contact with the wall 2.

Said at least one wheel 17 facilitates the movement of the operating module 4 by limiting the friction of the operating module 4 against the wall 2.

Advantageously, the dimensions of said at least one wheel 17 will be adapted to the stowage structure 3 so that the operating module 4 is located in a plane parallel to that of the wall 2.

According to the invention, connecting means 6 are provided between the operating module 4 and the maintenance module 5 consisting of at least two straps 18 connected, on the one hand, to a winder 19 and, on the other hand at a connecting plate 20.

Said connecting means 6 thus formed to maintain the straps 18 parallel during the winding and unwinding operations.

They also make it possible to maintain the connecting plate 20 in a plane perpendicular to that of the straps 18 preventing an imbalance at the level of the maintenance module 5, in particular during the winding and unwinding operations of the straps 18.

The winder 19 is preferably provided at the operating module 4 and the connecting plate 20 comprises fastening means 21 with the maintenance module 5.

This arrangement is particularly interesting since it allows easy hooking and unhitching of the maintenance module with respect to the operating module 4.

During the installation of the maintenance device, it is possible, for example, to place, firstly, the operating module 4 and then to fix the connection between the connecting plate 20 and the maintenance module 5 thus facilitating the setting place of the maintenance device 1.

It will also be possible to adapt to a maneuvering module 4 different maintenance modules 5, the latter being able to be chosen according to the dimensions of the surfaces to be maintained and in particular, the width of the windows of the building or the desired maintenance.

The maintenance module 5 comprises, for this purpose, depending on the operations to be performed, means for projecting water, steam, air, sand or paint, these projection means being associated with means distribution and storage, as appropriate, of water vapor, air, sand and energy.

The maintenance device 1 is therefore flexible and can be adapted to an actuating module 4 different maintenance modules 5.

To facilitate the drive of the maintenance module 5 by said operating module 4 which moves on the tube of the stowage structure 3, it is provided at the maintenance module 5 wheels 22 pivotally mounted so as to their orientation corresponds to the displacement force exerted on the maintenance module 5.

Of course, other embodiments within the reach of ordinary skill in the art could have been envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims below.

Claims (10)

1. Building wall maintenance device including:

   - a manoeuvring module (4) provided with means (7) for attaching it to a rail fastened to the building, which means are adapted to enable movement of the manoeuvring module along the rail; and

   - a maintenance module (5) suspended from the manoeuvring module by connecting means (6) enabling movement of the maintenance module over at least part of the surface of the wall;

   characterised in that the attachment means (7) are adapted to attach the manoeuvring module (4) to a tubular securing structure (3) including a tube that projects from the wall of the building so that the tube forms a rail for the maintenance device, the manoeuvring module further including means (17) through which it bears against the building that allow free movement of the manoeuvring module along the tube.
2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means include at least two upper rollers (8) mounted to pivot on the manoeuvring module that come into contact with an upper portion of the tube of the tubular securing structure (3) so that the upper rollers suspend the manoeuvring module from the tube at the same time as enabling rolling movement of the manoeuvring module along the tube.
3. Maintenance device according to claim 2, wherein one of the upper rollers (8) is connected by a transmission shaft (11) to a motor (12), this upper roller being connected to the other upper rollers by means of a belt (13).
4. Device according to claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprise locking means (14) coming into contact with a lower portion of the tube of the tubular securing structure (3) to prevent detachment of the manoeuvring module (4).
5. Device according to claim 3, wherein the locking means (14) comprise at least one adjustable lower roller (16).
6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the means through which the manoeuvring module bears against the building include at least one wheel (17) disposed in a direction of movement of the manoeuvring module along the tube and coming into contact with the wall of the building.
7. Maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means include at least two straps (18) connected on the one hand to a drum (19) and on the other hand to a connecting plate (20) perpendicular to a plane delimited by the straps during operations of winding in and paying out the straps.
8. Maintenance device according to claim 7, wherein the connecting plate (20) comprises means (21) for fixing it to the maintenance module (5) enabling attachment and detachment of the manoeuvring module (4) and the maintenance module (5).
9. Maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance module (5) comprises wheels mounted on pivots (22) so that their orientation corresponds to the movement force exerted on the maintenance module (5).
10. Maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance module (5) comprises steam sprayer means for maintaining the wall (2).

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