JP2934989B2 - Device that can be adsorbed on a surface and move along it - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device capable of adsorbing on a surface such as the inner and outer wall surfaces of a building and moving along the same, in particular, adsorbing on a glass wall surface or a window surface and moving along the same. The present invention relates to an apparatus suitable for performing a cleaning operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 60-26752 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,378) and drawings disclose moving and moving along a surface such as an inner or outer wall of a building for cleaning the surface. An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a rigid or semi-rigid frame and a sealing wall mounted on the frame and defining a reduced pressure space in cooperation with a main body and a surface to be sucked. When the pressure in the decompression region is reduced, the frame is vacuum-adsorbed to the surface. The frame is further equipped with a traveling mechanism that includes a plurality of wheels that are brought into contact with the surface and an electric motor that rotationally drives these wheels. Further, a working device such as an abrasive spraying means for injecting the abrasive into the surface is mounted.

[0003]

However, the above-described conventional apparatus has the following problems to be solved. It is necessary to dispose a traveling mechanism including an electric motor and a transmission means together with a plurality of wheels, which makes the device relatively large and expensive. In addition, it is difficult to apply the present invention to cleaning a glass wall surface or a window surface due to the need for the traveling mechanism and an increase in the size of the apparatus. Further, a ridge such as a glass frame extends on the glass window surface, but the conventional device cannot move across the ridge. Furthermore,
The direction change on the adsorbed surface is not always easy.

[0004] Accordingly, the main technical solution of the present invention is to reduce the size and to manufacture the device inexpensively as compared with the conventional device, and to advantageously apply the present invention to cleaning glass walls or windows. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can be adsorbed on a surface and movable along the surface.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that when a ridge such as a glass frame is present on the surface, the ridge can move across the ridge, is adsorbed on the surface, and moves along the rim. To provide a mobile device.

A further technical problem of the present invention is that the surface can be turned easily enough without requiring a large area on the surface to be adsorbed, and can be adsorbed on the surface and movable along the surface. It is to provide a device.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a connecting frame, and a pair of main suction units disposed on both sides of the connecting frame.
A pair of sub-suction units disposed before and after the connection frame, a width direction expansion / contraction means interposed between the pair of main suction units and the connection frame, and a pair of the sub-suction units. The main suction unit includes a movable state in which the main suction unit can be moved along the surface and a locking state in which the main suction unit is suction-locked to the surface. And each of the sub-adsorption units is also selectively set to a movable state that can be moved along the surface and a locked state that is adsorbed to the surface. A device is provided that is capable of adsorbing on and moving along a surface.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned other technical solution, in the present invention, each of the sub-adsorption units is provided with a sub-adsorption unit frame mounted on the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means via a vertical expansion / contraction means. And a sealing wall formed of a flexible material that defines a decompression space in cooperation with the surface and the sub-adsorption unit frame. The vertical expansion and contraction means is contracted to raise the sub-adsorption unit. The seal wall can be separated from the surface, and the vertical expansion / contraction means can be extended to lower the sub-adsorption unit, contact the seal wall with the surface, and raise the connecting frame. The main suction unit can be separated from the surface.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned still another technical solution, the front-rear expansion / contraction means comprises two cylinder mechanisms extending in parallel, each of which is moved along the cylinder. A rodless cylinder mechanism having an output end, wherein the output end is rotatably connected to the connection frame around an axis extending in a vertical direction, and the sub suction unit is connected to each of both ends of the cylinder. .

[0010]

In the apparatus of the present invention, when one of the main suction units is set to the locked state and the other of the main suction units is set to the movable state and the width direction expansion and contraction means is expanded and contracted, the other of the main suction units is set to the locked state. Moved along the surface. Further, when the sub suction unit is set in the locked state and the main suction unit is set in the movable state and the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means is expanded / contracted, the main suction unit is moved in the front / rear direction along the surface. Furthermore, when the main suction unit is set to the locked state and the sub suction unit is set to the movable state, and the front-back direction expansion / contraction means is expanded and contracted, the sub suction unit is moved in the front-back direction. Thus, by appropriately repeating the movement of the main suction unit and the sub suction unit, the apparatus can be appropriately moved along the surface. There is no need to arrange a traveling mechanism including an electric motor and transmission means,
The device can be made sufficiently small and inexpensive.

When the main suction unit is moved, the main suction unit is separated from the surface, and when the sub suction unit is moved, the sub suction unit is separated from the surface. Can move across the ridges. When the pair of rodless cylinder mechanisms that constitute the longitudinal expansion / contraction means are operated in opposite directions to each other, the main suction unit and the sub suction unit are relatively rotated about an axis extending in the up-down direction. The direction of the device can be changed arbitrarily easily and arbitrarily without the need to substantially move in the front-back direction or the width direction.

[0012]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus shown is a connecting frame 2, a pair of main suction units 4, a pair of sub suction units 6, a width direction expansion / contraction unit 8, and a front / back direction expansion / contraction unit 10.
Is provided.

Referring to FIG. 2 together with FIG. 1, the connecting frame 2 in the illustrated embodiment is entirely front and rear (FIG. 1).
The upper and lower sides of the channel member 12 are formed in a hollow box shape with both surfaces opened, and a channel member 12 having an inverted channel cross-section with an open lower surface, and a flat plate member 14 fixed to the lower surface of the channel member 12.

Referring to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1, each of the pair of main suction units 4 includes a main suction unit frame 16. The main suction unit frame 16 that can be formed from a metal plate has a box shape that extends elongated in the front-rear direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1 and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2). 22 and a lower surface wall portion 24. An opening 25 extending from the front end to the rear end is formed in the lower wall portion 24. A rectangular seal wall 26 that is elongated in the front-rear direction is fixed to the lower surface of the lower surface end 24. A relatively large rectangular opening is formed at the center of the seal wall 26,
Extend along both side portions of the lower wall portion 24. A connecting member 28 is fixed to both sides of the lower surface wall 24 with the above-mentioned inner edge of the seal wall 26 interposed therebetween, whereby the seal wall 26 is fixed to the lower surface wall 24. A connecting member 28 having a plate shape extending in the front-rear direction.
Is fixed to the lower surface wall portion 24 by appropriate connecting means (not shown) such as bolts and nuts. Seal wall 2
Reference numeral 6 denotes a horizontal wall portion 29 which protrudes substantially horizontally from the lower surface of the main suction unit frame 16 in the front-rear direction and both side directions, and a hanging wall portion 30 hanging downward from the horizontal wall portion 29.
As will be clear from the description below, the lower portion of the hanging wall portion 30 extending in a rectangular shape is brought into contact with a surface 32 made of glass or the like and moved to perform a cleaning action. Hanging wall 30
Is a reverse isosceles triangle, and the lower end angle α is conveniently about 40 to 80 degrees.
The seal wall 26 is preferably formed from a flexible material, especially a synthetic rubber such as urethane rubber. As will be further mentioned below, the sealing wall 26 has its depending wall 30
And cooperates with the surface 32 and the main suction unit frame 16 to define a reduced pressure space 34. A communication pipe member 36 is fixed to the upper end 18 of the main suction unit frame 16, and the decompression space 34 is connected to a pressure reduction source (not shown) via the communication pipe member 36. The reduced pressure source may be a vacuum pump or an ejector.

The lower surface of the connecting member 28 fixed to the lower surface wall portion 24 of the main suction unit frame 16 has a structure shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of locking members 38 are fixed at appropriate intervals. Each of the locking members 38 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is preferably formed of a material having a high coefficient of friction, particularly a synthetic rubber such as urethane rubber.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a mounting member 40 is fixed on the upper surface of the horizontal wall portion 29 of the seal wall 26 at an appropriate interval.
The contact electrode 42 is fixed to each of the zeros. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact electrode 42, which can be formed from a metal plate, constitutes a detecting means in cooperation with the contacted electrode constituted by the main suction unit frame 16 itself. FIG.
When the seal wall 26 abuts on a ridge 44 such as a glass frame present on the surface 32 and is displaced somewhat elastically upward, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The contact with the body 16 and thus the contact of the sealing wall 26 with the ridge 44, and thus the ridge 44, is detected.

Referring to FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIG. 1, the front end and the rear end of the upper wall portion 18 of the main suction unit frame 16 are provided with running means 48 via up-down direction expanding means 46.
Is installed. More specifically, the vertical expansion / contraction means 46 is formed of a normal-type pneumatic cylinder mechanism extending in the vertical direction, and the cylinder 50 is fixed on the upper wall 18 of the main suction unit frame 16. The rod 52 of the pneumatic cylinder mechanism penetrates through the upper wall portion 18 and protrudes downward. The rod 52 is prevented from rotating relative to the cylinder 52 by, for example, making the cross-sectional shape of the rod 52 polygonal. A support block 54 is fixed to the lower end of the rod 52, and a short axis 56 projecting in the front-rear direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) is attached to the front side and the rear side of the support block 54. A wheel 58 constituting the traveling means 48 is rotatably mounted on 56. When the cylinder mechanism that constitutes the vertical expansion / contraction means 46 is extended, as shown by a solid line in FIG.
2 and the locking member 38 described above is
And the pressure acting on the main suction unit frame 16 due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the pressure reducing space 34 when the pressure inside the pressure reducing space 34 of the main suction unit 4 is reduced. To the surface 32 (the main suction unit 4 is thus sucked to the surface 32). Therefore, the main suction unit 4 is moved in the width direction (the left-right direction in FIG.
In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing). On the other hand, the vertical expansion and contraction means 4
When the cylinder mechanism constituting the cylinder 6 is contracted, FIG.
As shown by a two-dot chain line, the wheel 58 is retracted upward and separated from the surface 32, and the locking member 38
2 and is brought into contact with the pressure-reducing space 34 of the main suction unit 4.
When the inside is depressurized, the pressure acting on the main suction unit frame 16 due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the decompression space 34 is transmitted to the front surface 32 via the locking member 38. Therefore. The main suction unit 4 is set in a locked state in which it cannot move along the surface 32. The sealing wall 26 of the main suction unit 4 is made of a flexible material and is able to flex somewhat,
In both the movable state in which the surface 8 contacts the surface 32 and the locking state in which the locking member 38 comes into contact with the surface 32, the droop thereof is caused by the pressure acting on itself due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the decompression space 34. The wall 30 is brought into close contact with the surface 32.

In the illustrated embodiment, the width direction expansion / contraction means 8 is constituted by a pneumatic cylinder mechanism. FIG.
As shown in the figure, each of the main suction units 4 and the connection frame 2
Two pneumatic cylinder mechanisms 60 extending in the width direction in parallel with each other are provided at an interval in the front-rear direction. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, each cylinder 62 of the cylinder mechanism 60 in a normal form is fixed to the upper surface of the upper wall portion 18 of the main suction unit frame 16. on the other hand,
The rod 64 of the cylinder mechanism 60 is connected to a connection boss 66 formed on the outer surface of the side wall of the channel member 12 in the connection frame 2. As will be further described later, when one of the main suction units 4 is set to the movable state and the cylinder mechanism 60 related to the main suction unit 40 is expanded and contracted, the main suction unit 4 is connected to the other main suction unit 4 and the connection frame. The body 2 and the pair of auxiliary suction units 6 are moved in the width direction.

Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2,
In the specific example shown in the figure, the front-back direction expansion / contraction means 10 extends in parallel in the front-rear direction at intervals in the width direction.
Each of the two pneumatic cylinder mechanisms 68 is in a rodless form. As the pneumatic rodless cylinder mechanism 68, for example, a pneumatic rodless cylinder mechanism which is sold as “Koganei rodless cylinder” by Koganei Seisakusho Co., Ltd. can be used. Each of the rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 includes a cylinder 70 extending in the front-rear direction and the cylinder 70.
Has an output end 72 which can be moved in the front-rear direction along. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, each output end 72 of the rodless cylinder mechanism 68 has a connecting bracket 7.
4 is fixed. The connection bracket 74 is formed of a tubular member having a rectangular cross section, is disposed so as to surround the cylinder 70, and the upper wall 76 is connected to the output end 72. The connection bracket 74 is disposed in the connection frame 2 described above, and is connected to the connection bracket 74.
The upper end 76 and the lower wall 78 are pivotally connected to the connection frame 2 via connection pins 80 extending in the vertical direction. Thus, the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 constituting the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means 10 have the output ends 72 extending vertically (in FIG. 1, the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper) of the pivot axis (the center axis of the connecting pin 80). Is connected to the connection frame 2 so as to be pivotable about the center.

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 together with FIG. 1, the front and rear ends of the front-rear extension means 10 are
Mounting brackets 82 projecting forward and backward, respectively, are fixed. Then, the auxiliary suction unit 6 is attached to each of the mounting brackets 82 via the vertical expansion / contraction means 84.
Is installed. A mounting bracket 82 fixed to the front end of the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means 10 includes an upright base 86 fixed across both front ends of the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 and a mounting projecting forward from the upright base 86. Part 88
And Similarly, the mounting bracket 82 fixed to the rear end of the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means 10 includes an upright base 86 fixed across both rear ends of the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 and the upright base 86. And a mounting portion 88 projecting rearward from the mounting portion 88. Each of the above-mentioned vertical expansion and contraction means 84
Two pneumatic cylinder mechanisms 9 extending in the vertical direction parallel to each other at intervals in the width direction (the horizontal direction in FIG. 1)
0. Cylinder mechanism 9 that can be in normal form
The zero cylinder 92 is fixed to the upper surface of the mounting portion 88 of the mounting bracket 82. Rod 94 of cylinder mechanism 90
Is protruded downward through the mounting portion 88 of the mounting bracket 82. Each of the sub-adsorption units 6 includes a sub-adsorption unit frame 96 formed of a flat plate member. The sub-adsorption unit frame 96 is connected to the lower end of the rod 94 of the cylinder mechanism 90. On the lower surface of the sub-adsorption unit frame 96, a rectangular seal wall 98 extending continuously around the four peripheral edges is fixed. The seal wall 98 is preferably formed of a synthetic rubber such as urethane rubber. As will be further described later, when the cylinder mechanism 90 constituting the vertical expansion / contraction means 84 is contracted, the sub-adsorption unit 6 is separated upward from the surface 32 as shown by a solid line in FIGS. . On the other hand, the cylinder mechanism 90 constituting the up-down direction expansion / contraction means 84
Is extended, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIGS.
2, the pressure reducing space 100 is defined by the cooperation of the seal wall 98, the sub-adsorption unit frame 96 and the surface 32. In this case, the connecting frame 2 is raised, and the main suction unit 4 is also raised and separated from the surface 32 (the sealing wall 26 of the main suction unit 4 is also moved upward from the surface 32). Separated). A communication pipe member 102 is also provided in the sub-adsorption unit frame 96, and the decompression space 100 is selectively communicated with a decompression source (not shown) via the communication pipe member 102.

In a state where at least one of the main suction units 4 is suctioned and locked on the surface 32,
When the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 constituting the longitudinal extension / contraction means 10 are operated in a direction in which the output end 72 moves forward (upward in FIG. 1) with respect to the cylinder 70, the output end 72 moves forward. The sub-adsorption unit 6 is moved forward, and the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 constituting the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means 10 have their output ends 72 rearward with respect to the cylinder 70 (see FIG. When it is operated in the direction of moving downward (1), the output end 72 is moved backward, and both of the sub-adsorption units 6 are moved backward. On the other hand, the vertical expansion / contraction means 84 interposed between the sub-adsorption unit 6 and the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means 10 is extended so that the seal wall 98 of the sub-adsorption unit 6 is pressed against the surface 32 and the decompression space 100 is reduced. When the main suction unit 4 is separated from a pressure reducing source (not shown) and separated from the surface 32, the two rodless cylinder mechanisms constituting the front-rear extension means 10 are decompressed and adsorbed on the surface 32. Actuating 68 in the direction in which its output end 72 moves forward (upward in FIG. 1) relative to its cylinder 70 causes the cylinder 70 to move rearward and both main suction units 4 to move rearward. Conversely, the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 constituting the front-rear direction telescopic means 10 have their output ends 72 rearward with respect to the cylinder 70. When allowed to operate in the direction of movement downward) in FIG. 1, the cylinder 70 is both the main suction unit 4 is moved forward is moved forward. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the two rodless cylinders 68 are operated in opposite directions to each other in a state where the main suction unit 4 is sucked on the surface 32 and the sub suction unit 6 is separated from the surface 32, for example. In FIG. 1, when the right rodless cylinder mechanism 68 is operated in the direction in which the output end 72 moves downward, and the left rodless cylinder mechanism 68 is operated in the direction in which the output end 72 moves upward, FIG. As shown by the two-dot chain line, the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 and the pair of sub-adsorption units 6 constituting the front-rear extension 10 are straight lines connecting the connection centers of each of the rodless cylinder mechanisms and the connection frame 2. Is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 around the midpoint of the center line, i.e., the midpoint of a straight line connecting the central axes of the two connecting pins 80. When the operation directions of the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 are reversed, the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 and the pair of sub-adsorption units 6 that constitute the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means 10 are turned counterclockwise in FIG. . Similarly, the sub-adsorption unit 6
When the two rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 are operated in mutually opposite directions in a state in which both the main suction units 4 are separated upward from the surface 32 while the main suction unit 4 is separated from the surface 32, the connection frame 2, the width direction The expansion / contraction means 8 and the pair of main suction units 4 are turned clockwise or counterclockwise in FIG. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the turning of the device can be conveniently effected without substantially moving the device back and forth or in the width direction.

Next, the operation of the apparatus as described above will be summarized and explained. For example, when cleaning the surface 32 which is a glass wall surface or a window surface of a building, a pair of main suction units 4 is used.
The vacuum space 34 is communicated with a vacuum source (not shown) to vacuum-suction the pair of main suction units 4 on the surface 32. On the other hand, the sub-adsorption unit 6 is separated from the reduced pressure source. Then, the auxiliary suction unit 6 and the front-back direction expansion / contraction means 10
Vertical expansion / contraction means 84 interposed between
That is, the cylinder mechanism 90 is extended, and the sub suction unit 6 is extended.
Is separated upward from the surface 32 (the state shown by a solid line in FIGS. 5 and 6). In this state, in one of the pair of main suction units 4, the up-and-down direction
Is contracted, the wheel 58 is separated from the surface 32, the locking member 38 is pressed against the surface 32, and the locked state is set. In the other of the pair of main suction units 4, the cylinder mechanism constituting the up-down direction expansion / contraction means 46 is extended, the wheel 58 is pressed against the surface 32, the locking member 38 is separated from the surface 32, and thus the movable state is set. Set. Thereafter, when the cylinder mechanism 60 constituting the width direction expansion / contraction means 8 is appropriately expanded and contracted, the one main suction unit 4 is in a locked state with respect to the surface 32, that is, in a state where it cannot be easily moved. Since the other main suction unit 4 is easily movable with respect to the front surface 32, the other of the pair of main suction units 4, that is, the main suction unit 4 which is set in the movable state is moved in the width direction. Moved. Thus, when the other main suction unit 4 is moved to a required position in the width direction, the locked state and the movable state of the pair of main suction units 4 are reversed, and the one main suction unit 4 is moved to the movable state. Is set to a locked state, and then the cylinder mechanism constituting the width direction expansion / contraction means 8 is appropriately expanded / contracted and moved in the one width direction of the main suction unit 4. The apparatus can be moved in the width direction by appropriately changing the locked state and the movable state of the pair of main suction units 4 with respect to the surface 32 and appropriately expanding and contracting the width direction expansion / contraction means 8. . When the main suction unit 4 is moved on the surface 32, the hanging wall portion 30 of the sealing wall 26 is pressed against the surface 32, and thus the cleaning operation is performed on the surface 32 by the hanging wall portion 30 of the sealing wall 26. Is applied. When the surface 32 is a glass surface, a watering means (not shown) is attached to the main suction unit 4, and cleaning is performed by the hanging wall portion 30 of the seal wall 26 while watering is performed by the watering means. Is desirable.

For example, one of the main suction units 4 is
When the detecting means including the contact electrode 42 detects the movement of the main suction unit 4 in the width direction, the main suction unit 4 stops moving in the width direction.
By operating both of the pair of rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 constituting the back-and-forth direction expansion / contraction means 10 in a required direction, the pair of sub-adsorption units 6 are moved, for example, forward (upward in FIG. 1) (in FIG. 1, the connection frame body). 2 shows a state in which the sub suction unit 6 has been moved to the vicinity of the forefront with respect to the main suction unit 4). Next, the vertical expansion and contraction means 84 interposed between the sub-adsorption unit 6 and the front and rear direction expansion and contraction means 10, ie, the cylinder mechanism 9
0 and the sealing wall 9 of the pair of sub-adsorption units 6
8 is pressed against the surface 32 (in a state shown by a two-dot chain line in FIGS. 5 and 6), and the decompression space 10 defined by the seal wall 98, the sub-adsorption unit frame 96 and the surface 32.
0 is communicated with a reduced pressure source (not shown), and both the pair of sub-adsorption units 6 are vacuum-adsorbed to the surface 32. In this case, the decompression space 34 of the main adsorption unit 4 is separated from a decompression source (not shown) to
The pressure in the interior is released, and the suction of the pair of main suction units 4 on the surface 32 is released. The suction of the pair of main suction units 4 on the front surface 32 is released, and the cylinder mechanism 90 is extended as described above, so that the sealing wall 98 of the sub suction unit 6 is formed.
When pressed against the surface 32, the pair of main suction units 4 are separated upward from the surface 32 as described above (one of the wheels 58, the locking member 38, and the seal wall 26 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4). Are also separated upward from the surface 32), so that the pair of main suction units 4 are certified to be movable so that they can be easily moved. Thereafter, a pair of rodless cylinder mechanisms 6 constituting the longitudinal extension / retraction means 10 are provided.
8 are operated in the required directions to move the pair of main suction units 4 forward, for example. Next, the decompression space 100 of the sub-adsorption unit 6 is separated from the decompression source again to release the decompression in the decompression space 100 and the adsorption of the sub-adsorption unit 6 on the surface 32 is released.
The vertical expansion and contraction means 84 interposed between the front and rear direction expansion and contraction means 10 is contracted, and thus the sub-adsorption unit 6 is separated from the surface 32. At the same time, the pressure reduction space 34 of the pair of main suction units 4 is communicated with the pressure reduction source, and the sealing wall 26
A pair of main suction units 4 whose hanging wall portions 30 are pressed against the surface 32 are vacuum-sucked to the surface 32. In the same manner as described above, the conversion between the locked state and the movable state between one and the other of the pair of main suction units 4 is appropriately performed, and the expansion and contraction of the width direction expansion and contraction means 8 is appropriately performed. The device is moved in the width direction (in the direction opposite to that described above). During this movement, the surface 32 is cleaned by the hanging wall 30 of the seal wall 26 of the main suction unit 4.

When performing cleaning of the surface 32 as described above, if the device approaches or comes into contact with a ridge 44, such as a glass frame, extending in the width direction on the surface 32, the device performs this. You can move by straddling. That is, when the pair of main suction units 4 are moved in the front-rear direction, the vertical expansion / contraction means 84 interposed between the sub-adsorption unit 6 and the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means 10 is extended, whereby FIG. Then, the pair of main suction units 4 is separated upward from the surface 32 as shown by a two-dot chain line. Thus, when the pair of main suction units 4 is moved forward or backward, the pair of main suction units 4 are moved across the ridges 44. When the sub-adsorption unit 6 is moved in the front-rear direction, the vertical expansion / contraction means 84 interposed between the sub-adsorption unit 6 and the front-rear expansion / contraction means 10 is contracted, as shown in FIGS. The sub-adsorption unit 6 is separated from the front surface 32 as shown by a two-dot chain line.
Thus, the sub-adsorption unit 6 can move across the ridge 44. If it is necessary to move the front surface 32 across the ridges 44 (see FIG. 2) extending in the front-rear direction, the above-described operation is performed (that is, the pair of main suction units 4 and the pair of sub- The device is turned 90 degrees by appropriately changing the suction on the surface 32 with the suction unit 6 and operating the pair of rodless cylinder mechanisms 68 constituting the front-rear expansion / contraction means 10 in opposite directions. Then, the pair of main suction units 4 and the pair of sub suction units 6 may be moved over the ridges 44 in the same manner as described above.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show modifications of the device constructed according to the invention. In this variation,
As schematically shown in FIG. 7, a cylinder mechanism 290 constituting the up-down direction expansion / contraction means 284 interposed between the sub-adsorption unit 206 and the front-back direction expansion / contraction means 210.
Is connected to a pressure air source 207 via a pressure conversion means 205 together with an expansion / contraction conversion means 203 constituted by a four-way solenoid valve. The pressure conversion means 205 is a three-way solenoid valve 20
9 and a pressure regulating valve 211. The pressure regulating valve 211 has a pressure air source 20 of about 7 kg / mm square.
7 is reduced to about 1 kg / mm 2. When both the expansion / contraction converter 203 and the three-way solenoid valve 209 are at the positions indicated by solid lines in FIG. 7, high-pressure air for contracting the cylinder mechanism 290 is supplied (high-pressure supply contraction state). When the expansion / contraction conversion means 203 is switched to the position shown by the dashed line, the cylinder mechanism 290 is supplied with high-pressure air for extending the same (high-pressure supply extension state). When the three-way electromagnetic edge 209 is switched to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line while the expansion / contraction conversion means 203 is at the position indicated by the solid line, low-pressure air is supplied to the cylinder mechanism 290 to contract it and reduce the pressure (low-pressure supply). Contracted state). When both the expansion / contraction conversion means 203 and the three-way solenoid valve 209 are switched to the positions indicated by the two-dot chain line, the cylinder mechanism 290 is supplied with low-pressure air for extending the same (low-pressure supply extension state).

Continuing the description with reference to FIG. 8, in the above modification, each of the sub-adsorption units 206 is provided with a plurality of detecting means 213 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 8). It is arranged. In each of the sub-adsorption units 206, a support bracket 215 having a mounting portion projecting outward is fixed to the upper surface of the sub-adsorption unit frame 296, and the detecting means 213 is mounted on the protruding mounting portion of the support bracket 215. It is installed. As shown in FIG. 9, the main suction unit 204 is also provided with a plurality of detecting means 217 similar to the detecting means 213 (only one of them is shown in FIG. 9) instead of the detecting means including the contact electrode. Are provided). In each of the main suction units 204, a support bracket 219 having a mounting portion projecting outward is fixed to the main suction unit frame 216, and the detection means 217 is mounted on the protruding mounting portion of the support bracket 219. ing. Detecting means 213 and 2
Reference numeral 17 may be a proximity switch or a limit switch.

Other than the above-described configuration of the modified example shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, it is substantially the same as the above-described embodiment shown in FIGS.

7 to 9, the decompression space of the sub-adsorption unit 206 is depressurized, and the sub-adsorption unit 206 is adsorbed on the surface 232, and the decompression space of the main adsorption unit 204 is reduced. When the high-pressure supply and extension state (that is, a state in which high-pressure air is supplied to the cylinder mechanism 290 to extend the same) is set in a state in which the main suction unit 204 is released from the pressure-reducing source and the surface 232 is released from suction, as shown in FIG. As in the case of the above embodiment described with reference to FIGS.
4 is moved away from the surface 232 so as to be easily movable. The high-pressure supply contraction is performed in a state in which the depressurized space of the sub-adsorption unit 206 is separated from the decompression source to release adsorption on the surface 232, and the depressurized space of the main adsorption unit 204 is depressurized and the main adsorption unit 204 is adsorbed on the surface 232. State (ie, cylinder mechanism 2)
90 is set to supply high-pressure air for contracting and nipping it, the sub-adsorption unit 206 is separated from the surface 232 as in the above-described embodiment described with reference to FIGS. It is moved to a separated movable state that can be easily moved. On the other hand, the pressure in the decompression space of the sub-adsorption unit 206 is reduced so that the sub-adsorption unit 206
In the state where the depressurized space of the main adsorption unit 204 is separated from the decompression source and the adsorption of the main adsorption unit 204 to the surface 232 is released, the low-pressure supply expansion / contraction state (that is, the cylinder mechanism 290 is contracted and compressed) When low pressure air is supplied to the sub-adsorption unit 206, the cylinder mechanism 290 cannot completely contract because the sub-adsorption unit 206 is adsorbed on the surface 232, and only the sub-adsorption unit 206 adsorbed on the surface 232 is admitted. However, due to the partial contraction of the cylinder mechanism 290, the main suction unit 204
Is also brought into contact with the surface 232. Cylinder mechanism 290
The air pressure supplied to the surface 23
The pressure of the main suction unit 204 on the pressure 2 is small. Therefore, in a state where the pair of main suction units 204 are brought into contact with the surface 232, the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means or the width direction expansion / contraction means is expanded / contracted, whereby
4 can be moved together along the surface 232 (main suction unit contact movable state). In addition, the decompression space of the sub-adsorption unit 206 is separated from the decompression source and the surface 23 is separated.
When the low-pressure supply / extension state (that is, a state in which low-pressure air is supplied to the cylinder mechanism 290 to extend the same) is set in a state in which the suction of the sub-adsorption unit 206 with respect to the second suction unit 206 is released, the main suction unit 204 becomes the surface 232. Therefore, the cylinder mechanism 290 cannot be completely extended to separate the main suction unit 204 from the surface 232, and not only the main suction unit 204 sucked to the surface 232 but also the cylinder mechanism 290 can be moved. The sub-adsorption unit 206 is also brought into contact with the surface 232 by the partial extension. Since the air pressure supplied to the cylinder mechanism 290 is low, the pressing force of the sub adsorption unit 206 against the surface 232 is small. Therefore, by moving the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means or the width direction expansion / contraction means, it is possible to move the sub-adsorption unit 206 along the surface 232 while keeping the sub-adsorption unit 206 in contact with the surface 232 (the sub-adsorption unit). Contact movable state). When the main suction unit 204 is moved in the contact movable state of the main suction unit 204 and comes close to or comes into contact with a ridge 244 such as a glass frame present on the surface 232, the detection means 217 is activated as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 9. Ridge 2
The ridge 244 is detected by approaching (or contacting) the upper surface of the ridge 44. Similarly, the sub-adsorption unit 206 is moved in the contact movable state of the sub-adsorption unit 206, and
When approaching or touching a ridge 244 such as a glass frame existing on the glass frame 32, the detecting means 217 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
Comes close to (or contacts) the upper surface of the ridge 244
4 is detected. When the ridge 244 is a glass frame, the protrusion amount is relatively small. Therefore, when the main suction unit 204 or the sub suction unit 206 is moved away from the surface 232, the detection unit is configured by a proximity switch or the like. Means 213 or 217 are too far away from ridges 244, and therefore detection means 213 or 2
17 cannot detect a ridge (detection means 213
Alternatively, the lower end of the sub-adsorption unit 206 cannot be projected downward beyond the lower end of the seal wall.
And the lowermost position of the detection means 213 and 217 in the main suction unit 204 is limited). However, if the sub-suction unit 206 or the main suction unit 204 is moved along the surface 232 while being in contact with the surface 237, the detecting means 213 or 2
17 can be sufficiently close to the upper surface of the ridge 244,
The ridge 244 can be easily detected.

[0030]

The apparatus of the present invention, which can be attracted to and moved along a surface, eliminates the need for disposing a scanning mechanism including an electric motor and transmission means together with a plurality of wheels. As a result, the manufacturing cost can be reduced and the size can be reduced. Further, by moving the main suction unit or the sub suction unit away from the surface, if there is a ridge such as a glass frame on the surface, it can be moved across the ridge. Furthermore, by operating the two rodless cylinder mechanisms extending in parallel in opposite directions, the direction can be changed easily without requiring a large area for the direction change.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a connection frame, a width direction expansion / contraction unit, and a main suction unit in the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing an arrangement of a locking member of a main suction unit in the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing a traveling means of a main suction unit in the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a front-back direction expansion / contraction unit and a sub suction unit in the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a sub suction unit in the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a simplified diagram showing a pneumatic circuit in a modification of the device configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial side view showing a detection unit mounted on a sub suction unit in a modification of the apparatus configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial side view showing a detecting means mounted on a main suction unit in a modification of the apparatus constituted according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2: Connection frame 4: Main suction unit 6: Sub suction unit 8: Width expansion / contraction means 10: Front-back direction expansion / contraction means 16: Main suction unit frame 26: Seal wall 30: Hanging wall of seal wall 32: Surface 34 : Depressurizing space 38: Locking member 42: Contact electrode 44: Protrusion on surface 46: Vertical stretching means 48: Running means 58: Wheel 68: Rodless cylinder mechanism 84: Vertical stretching means 96: Sub suction unit frame Body 98: Seal wall 100: Decompression space 203: Expansion / contraction conversion unit 204: Main adsorption unit 205: Pressure conversion unit 206: Sub-adsorption unit 207: Pressure air source 210: Front-back direction expansion / contraction unit 213: Detection unit 216: Main adsorption unit frame Body 217: Detection means 284: Vertical expansion / contraction means 296: Sub-adsorption unit frame

Claims (17)

(57) [Claims] 1. A connection frame, a pair of main suction units disposed on both sides of the connection frame, a pair of sub suction units disposed before and after the connection frame, and a pair of main suction units. A width direction expansion and contraction means interposed between the suction unit and the connection frame, and a front and rear direction expansion and contraction means interposed between the pair of sub-suction units and the connection frame. Each of the main suction units is selectively set to a movable state that can be moved along the surface and a locked state that can be suction-locked to the surface, and each of the sub-suction units also moves along the surface. A device capable of adsorbing on a surface and moving along the surface, wherein the device is selectively set to a movable state that can be performed and a locked state that is adsorbed to the surface. 2. Each of the main suction units cooperates with the main suction unit frame mounted on the connecting frame via the width direction expansion / contraction means, and with the surface and the main suction unit frame. A sealing wall formed of a flexible material that defines a decompression space, a locking member mounted on the suction unit frame, and a traveling unit mounted on the main suction unit frame via vertical expansion and contraction means. The movable state is set by extending the vertical expansion / contraction means to lower the traveling means, bringing the traveling means into contact with the surface and separating the locking member from the surface, and The traveling state is raised by contracting the directional expansion / contraction means, and the locking member is locked to the surface to set the locked state.
The device of claim 1 adsorbable on and movable along a surface. 3. The seal wall of the main suction unit has a hanging wall portion extending in a rectangular shape, and a lower end portion of the hanging wall portion has a tapered cross section. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said surface is cleaned by contacting said surface and moving said main suction unit. 4. A cross-sectional shape of the lower end portion of the hanging wall portion is an inverted isosceles triangle having a lower end angle of 40 to 80 degrees.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3 which is adsorbable on and movable along the surface. 5. A detecting means for detecting a ridge extending on the surface of each of the main suction units, wherein the detecting means includes a contact electrode mounted on the seal wall and a contact electrode. Including a contacted electrode disposed on the main suction unit frame,
5. The surface according to claim 2, wherein the contact electrode is brought into contact with the contacted electrode when the seal wall is elastically deformed by the contact of the seal wall with the projection, and A device that can move along this. 6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the traveling means of the main suction unit is a wheel, the device being capable of adsorbing on and moving along a surface. 7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said vertically expanding and contracting means of said main suction unit is a pneumatic cylinder mechanism. 8. Each of the sub-adsorption units is configured to cooperate with a sub-adsorption unit frame mounted on the front-rear direction expansion / contraction unit via a vertical direction expansion / contraction unit, the surface and the sub-adsorption unit frame. A sealing wall formed of a flexible material defining a depressurized space, wherein the vertical expansion and contraction means is contracted to raise the sub-adsorption unit, and the sealing wall is separated from the surface to be in the movable state. 8. The lock state according to claim 1, wherein the lock state is set by extending the vertical expansion / contraction means, lowering the sub suction unit, and bringing the seal wall into contact with the surface. A device adsorbable on and movable along the described surface. 9. When the vertical expansion / contraction means is extended to lower the sub suction unit and bring the sealing wall into contact with the surface, the connecting frame is raised and the main suction unit is moved from the surface. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is spaced apart and is capable of adsorbing and moving along a surface. 10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said up-down direction expansion and contraction means is a pneumatic cylinder mechanism. 11. Each of the sub-adsorption units includes a sub-adsorption unit frame attached to the front-rear direction expansion / contraction means via a pneumatic cylinder mechanism, and a pressure reducing unit that cooperates with the surface and the sub-adsorption unit frame. A sealing wall formed of a flexible material defining a space, wherein the reduced pressure space is selectively communicated with a reduced pressure source, and the pneumatic cylinder mechanism is selectively set to a high pressure supply state and a low pressure supply state. (1) When the decompression space is connected to the decompression source and the pneumatic cylinder is extended at a high pressure, the sub-adsorption unit is adsorbed on the surface and the sub-adsorption unit is adsorbed on the surface. The locking state is set, the connecting frame is raised, the main suction unit is separated from the surface, and (2) the decompression space is disconnected from the decompression source to extend the pneumatic cylinder at a low pressure. And the The sub-adsorption unit is set in a contact movable state that can be moved along the surface while the sealing wall is in contact with the surface, and the main adsorption unit is not separated from the surface, ( 3) When the decompression space is disconnected from the decompression source and the pneumatic cylinder mechanism is contracted at a high pressure, the sub-adsorption unit is separated from the surface by the sealing wall, and the separation wall can be moved along the surface. (4) When the decompression space is connected to the decompression source and the pneumatic cylinder mechanism is contracted at a low pressure, the sub-adsorption unit is adsorbed on the surface and the locked state is set. 8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main suction unit is not separated from the surface and is movable along and along the surface. 12. The sub-adsorption unit, when the sub-adsorption unit moves along the surface in the contact movable state, when the sub-adsorption unit approaches or comes into contact with a ridge extending on the surface. 12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a detecting means for detecting the ridge, the device being capable of adsorbing on and moving along the surface. 13. The main suction unit contacts or comes into contact with a ridge extending on the surface when the main suction unit is moved along the surface while being in contact with the surface. 13. The device according to claim 1 or 12, wherein a detecting means for detecting the ridge is provided, the device being capable of adsorbing on the surface and moving along the surface. 14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said width direction expanding / contracting means comprises a pneumatic cylinder mechanism disposed between each of said main suction units and said connecting frame. A device adsorbable on and movable along the described surface. 15. The surface suction unit according to claim 14, wherein two pneumatic cylinder mechanisms extending in parallel with each other are provided between each of said main suction units and said connecting frame. A device that can move along this. 16. The longitudinal expansion and contraction means comprises a pneumatic rodless cylinder mechanism having an output end movable along a cylinder, the output end being connected to the connection frame, and being provided at both ends of the cylinder. 16. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said sub-adsorption units are connected to each other and are movable along and along the surface. 17. The longitudinal expansion / contraction means is composed of two rodless cylinder mechanisms extending in parallel.
17. The surface of claim 16, wherein the output end of each of the rodless cylinder mechanisms is pivotally connected to the connecting frame about an axis extending in a vertical direction, and is movable along and along the connecting frame. apparatus.