EP2103381B1 - Rolling structure supporting at least one sanding tool and similar for working on walls and ceilings - Google Patents

Abstract

The structure (SR) has a vertical guiding column (14) including an upper end to receive a motor unit (16). A support unit is arranged along the guiding column to support a sanding tool (13), where the support unit is movable in translation on the column by a connection unit e.g. worm, associated to the motor unit and orientable in radial position. The support unit holds a manipulation arm that is manually oriented to orient the tool by an operator for carrying out sanding works to walls and facades.

Description

The invention relates to the technical field of equipment made available to people, professionals or not doing sanding, grinding on the walls and ceilings of buildings or premises for various purposes. This equipment is generally used by masons, painters who must sand beforehand, surf walls, walls, ceilings in sight, then proceed to painting or other work.

There is of course power tools and equipment for this purpose but their use is limited to very small areas, because the difficulty of the task is certain, work at ceiling height or wall is not easy.

It has therefore been proposed sanding tools disposed at arm's length that can be manipulated by the operator. These are sanders, for example, marketed under the trademark "GIRAFE" by the applicant. This type of sanding tool makes it possible to work on larger surfaces with a greater range of intervention. They include on the arm, in addition to the active part of the tool, a motor. This is an important progress. Such a sander is described in the patent EP 1.632.311 . However, their handling on a significant intervention time is tiring for the operator because of course the load to handle is more consistent. In addition, access control to all surfaces to be sanded or cleaned is not always easy.

In order to facilitate the work of operators, the applicant has already designed and proposed a rolling structure arranged to support a sanding tool with arms of the type under the brand "GIRAFE". This rolling structure comprises a support of the sanding tool with a capacity of articulation and orientation, and can be manipulated by the operator who is released from the load weight of the tool. This rolling structure has been described in the patent FR No. 2,894,860 . This structure is essentially adapted to work the ceilings, the operator guiding the sanding tool in all the necessary orientations.

Various documents were made known to the applicant from the patent FR No. 2,894,860 and especially US 1,674,669 , DE 2991442 , AU 2308684 .

To the knowledge of the applicant, it appears that all research has been oriented for the treatment of ceilings, the operator being on the ground and manipulating the sanding tool remotely.

Other research was conducted by the applicant to facilitate operators by proposing a rolling structure incorporating the transport of vacuum cleaner blocks and a grinding sander type tool under the brand "GIRAFE". Such a structure has in particular been described in the patent FR No. 2,882,913 the applicant. In this implementation, the rolling structure was arranged to store the sanding tool but not arranged to allow the work of the sanding tool.

As it appears, the applicant has therefore, through his research, continued to facilitate the task of operators, contributed to an improvement in working conditions for sanding, surfacing, grinding relatively large surfaces.

However, it appears that all these very interesting researches do not answer the problem posed by sanding and surfacing the vertical walls. Handling of sanding tools is not always practical, often generates inappropriate operator attitudes or positioning.

The applicant's approach was therefore to meet this need by further facilitating the task of the operator. In order to give it even greater autonomy, with the least unnecessary fatigue, the applicant wanted to design a new generation of rolling structure for the aforementioned work of surfacing, sanding, ceilings and walls, creating load transfers , the operator intervening in a simple, practical and not very tiring way.

According to a first feature, the rolling structure of the type comprising a support platform of a height-adjustable column having, at the upper end, a support joint device of a holding block of a sanding tool for the execution of sanding work, surfacing the ceiling, is remarkable in that it comprises laterally, from the platform, a vertical guide column receiving, at the upper end, a power unit, and in that along the guide column a support means for a sanding tool is arranged, said means being displaceable in translation on the guide column by a connecting means associated with the motor unit and orientable in a radial position, and in that the support means of the operating tool sanding ensures the holding of a maneuvering arm allowing its manual orientation and therefore the tool of sanding by the operator for sanding walls and facades and the like.

These and other characteristics will be apparent from the rest of the description.

• La figure 1 est une vue à caractère schématique de la structure roulante représentée et supportant deux outils de ponçage sous la marque « GIRAFE », l'un permettant des travaux aux plafonds, et l'autre permettant des travaux sur les murs en façade.
• La figure 2 est une vue à caractère schématique de côté de la structure roulante selon l'invention.
• La figure 3 est une vue partielle à caractère schématique illustrant les moyens supports de l'outil de ponçage intervenant sur les murs et façades.
• La figure 4 est une vue partielle de dessus selon la figure 3 selon la flèche F1.
• La figure 5 est une vue à caractère schématique illustrant le positionnement et guidage de l'outil de ponçage sur des surfaces verticales.

For fixing the object of the invention illustrated in a nonlimiting manner to the figures of the drawings where:

• The figure 1 is a schematic view of the rolling structure shown and supporting two sanding tools under the brand "GIRAFE", one allowing work on the ceilings, and the other allowing work on the walls in front.
• The figure 2 is a schematic side view of the rolling structure according to the invention.
• The figure 3 is a partial schematic view illustrating the support means of the sanding tool on the walls and facades.
• The figure 4 is a partial view from above according to the figure 3 according to the arrow F1.
• The figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating the positioning and guidance of the sanding tool on vertical surfaces.

In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a nonlimiting manner illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

The rolling structure is referenced as a whole (SR) and comprises a platform (1) mounted on rolling means (2). In its front part, it receives a U-shaped frame (3) made of material metal, in a tubular section for example, constituting the support base of a vertical column (4) adjustable in height. This column is arranged at its upper end for receiving a hinge device (5) supporting a presser block and holding (6) of the sanding tool (7) of the type known under the trademark "GIRAFFE ". This tool (7) comprises an active head (7a) made in any manner suitable for sanding, surfacing and other functions, allowing, in addition, by an applied branch, the suction of waste, dust and other detritus generated by the sanding operation and the like. The sanding tool further comprises a motor group (7b) and is connected at its rear end by a hose (8) to a vacuum cleaner (9) disposed on the platform (1) above. An operating arm (10) is fixed, at one end (10a), from the aforementioned pressing block (6) to allow the manipulation and orientation of the tool in a vertical plane of approaching or moving away from on the ceiling. The other end (10b) of said arm (10) is free and can be grasped by the operator who can thus give the desired orientations.

The platform (1) receives, in its rear part, a frame (11) also profiled U comprising a spar (12) connecting with the column (4) support of the sanding tool ceilings.

According to an essential provision of the invention, the rolling structure is arranged for receiving a sanding tool (13) of the sander type denominated "GIRAFE" (registered trademark) capable of performing sanding, surfacing, laterally on walls of walls, facades and the like, vertical or substantially vertical. This tool can be equipped with a diamond disc, or carbide wheels for planing work, bush-hammering.

More particularly, the rolling structure is arranged laterally from the platform (1) for receiving a high-rise guide column (14) whose upper end is capable of receiving a horizontal platform (15) supporting a power unit (16). Along the guide column (14) is arranged, vertically, a support means (17) of the sanding tool (13) both in a vertical axial direction, according to the arrow F2, and radially, according to the arrow F3 . For this purpose, there is thus a connection between the power unit (16) and said support means (17) of the sanding tool (13) in the various orientations chosen for carrying out the sanding, surfacing and other operations, on walls walls or facades facing. This link (L) can be made in any appropriate manner and the drawings have a particular implementation. Thus, in this illustrated embodiment, the motor unit (16) is associated at the end of the shaft with a coil (18) receiving a cable (19) to be wound and unrolled according to the working height of the sanding tool. This cable (19) has one end (19a) secured to the coil, and the other end (19b) secured to the support means (17) of the sanding tool (13). It is therefore understood that the actuation of the reversible motor unit by an electrical control (20), fixed, for example, to the frame (11) for handling the rolling structure, allows the raising or lowering of the tool. The support means (17) comprises a slider (26) arranged for example in the form of an L-shaped or U-shaped profile around the guide column and includes rollers (21) or the like which facilitate movement in height and can pivot horizontally. around the guide column. On this slide adapts to hinge the support block (22) of the sanding tool.

Without departing from the invention, it is thus conceivable that the connecting means (L) is an endless screw actuated by the motor unit (16) and on which the support means (17) moves.

The support means (17) of the sanding tool thus comprises two parts hinged together, namely the slide (26) allowing the height adjustment of the position of the sanding tool and a support block (22) of the sanding tool. tool itself with an operating arm (23) in position and orientation. More particularly, the slide (26) has fastening tabs (24) and articulation forming a clevis of an axis (25) secured to the support block (22) arranged with a collar (24a) positioned between the legs (24). ) to allow the orientation from bottom to top and vice versa. The support block (22) is arranged to secure and hold the sanding tool (13) and the operating arm (23). The support block (22) is arranged in any appropriate manner in two shaped hinged parts to allow positioning of the sanding tool and the operating arm with the appropriate locking and fixing means. It may be those described in a non-limiting manner in the patent EP1.702.715 . The sanding tool is fixedly positioned and its end is connected by a hose (27) to the vacuum cleaner (9). It is the manual manipulation of the operating arm (23) by the operator himself which makes it possible to "sweep" the surface of walls or facades to work. The operator makes, by the electric control (20), a first adjustment in height of the sanding tool on the receiving column and then the operator orients the tool according to his needs by combining the movements of vertical displacement and rotation around the guide column (14).

The solution proposed by the applicant is extremely practical because it allows the operator, from the rolling structure, a very large autonomy of operation, without fatigue. In addition, the settings in position are very easy. The rolling structure can be equipped with two sanding tools, as shown figure 1 but one can also imagine that only one sanding tool is used. It is then necessary for the operator to fix it on the support applied to perform either sanding work on ceilings or walls.

The invention is very advantageous, practical, simple to make and use.

Claims (10)

1. Rolling structure of the kind that comprises a platform (1) supporting a height-adjustable pillar (4) that has, at the upper end, an articulation device (5) supporting a block (6) for holding in place a sanding tool or the like so that sanding or surfacing operations can be carried out on the ceiling, characterised in that it comprises laterally, starting from the platform (1), a vertical guide pillar (14) accommodating, at the upper end, a power unit (16), and in that along the guide pillar is placed a support means (17) for a sanding tool (13), said support means being translationally movable over the guide pillar via a connection means (L) associated with the power unit (16) and radially adjustable,
   and in that the support means (17) of the sanding tool ensures that a manoeuvring arm (23) for manually adjusting it and therefore the sanding tool can be held by the operator in respect of operations to sand down walls and façades and the like.
2. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the guide pillar (4) accommodates, at its upper end, a horizontal platform (15) supporting a power unit,
   and in that a connection means (L) between the power unit and the support means (17) of the sanding tool (13) is used to position said support means along the guide pillar (14) via an electric control (20) located on the platform of the rolling structure.
3. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the connection (L) is defined by associating at the end of the shaft of the power unit (16) a reel (18) accommodating a cable (19) whereof the ends (19a - 19b) are secured to the reel and to the support means (17), the cable being wound and unwound according to the working height of the sanding tool (13).
4. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the connection (L) is defined by an endless screw actuated by the power unit (16) and on which the support means (17) moves.
5. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the support means (17) includes a slider (26) for adjusting the height of the sanding tool and a block (22) supporting the sanding tool (13) and the manoeuvring arm, said slider being guided around the guide pillar.
6. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the slider has securing and articulation lugs (24) forming a clevis for a pin (25) secured to the support block (22) with a centring collar (22a) between the lugs.
7. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the support block (22) is made in two articulated and streamlined parts to allow the sanding tool (13) and the manoeuvring arm (23) to be positioned.
8. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the vertical pillar (4) accommodates, in its upper part, an articulation device (5) supporting a pressure block (6) for holding in place a sanding tool (7) and a manoeuvring arm (10), a first end (10a) of the arm (10) being secured to said block (6) and the other end being capable of being handled by the operator.
9. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the two sanding tools (7-13) are connected by hoses (11 - 27) to the aspirator (9).
10. Rolling structure, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the platform (1) has, in its rear part, a grip frame (11) on which the electric control means (20) is placed.

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