Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L11/00—Hoses, i.e. flexible pipes
  • F16L11/22—Multi-channel hoses
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
  • A47L9/24—Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
  • B25J18/00—Arms
  • B25J18/06—Arms flexible
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2201/00—Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation

Definitions

• hoses are used today.
• An example of this is the automotive industry, in which hoses, e.g. Cooling system of a motor vehicle must be installed.
• Another area of application is the production of electrical heaters, e.g. Washing machines or dishwashers. All of these devices require rubber or plastic hoses to be attached to connecting pieces.
• tubular devices are known from the prior art.
• a tubular device is described in US Pat. No. 4,839,6013.
• a movement of the device described there is generated in that hoses with bellows are embedded in the individual chambers, which are connected to the jacket layers at the respective ends of the chambers.
• a movement element which has a cladding layer.
• This cladding layer is divided into chambers by material webs, first means are provided which close these chambers at one end, and second means are provided whereby these chambers can be filled or emptied and a movement can thereby be generated (cf. in particular 1 and 5 and associated description in the patent).
• the movement elements shown there also have stiffening material with which the bending behavior is influenced. However, this stiffening material is not embedded in the outer layer and no desired direction of movement is achieved. Rather, a cuff prevents a bend beyond the area of the cuff. Another stiffening part only has a different bending behavior compared to the other areas of the movement element.
• the object on which the invention is based is to specify a simple, movable tubular device and a method for assembling the device.
• a method is specified according to the features of claim II.
• a particular advantage of the device according to the invention is that the device according to the invention is itself made movable and therefore only an approximately precise positioning has to be carried out by the robot arm gripper. A further positioning takes place through the device according to the invention itself, and the assembly takes place through an interaction between the pressure of the robot arm gripper and the device according to the invention.
• a particular advantage when using the device according to the invention with a plurality of individual devices lying one behind the other is that greater mobility is achieved.
• a particular advantage of using three chambers in the device according to the invention is that it achieves a maximum of degrees of freedom for the mobility of the device according to the invention with minimal expenditure on material and minimal control and filler.
• a particular advantage of using stiffening material in connection with the device according to the invention is that the movement behavior under the action of filler can be influenced in the devices according to the invention.
• a certain preferred direction of movement can be specified, or e.g. a rotational movement can be achieved.
• a simple and inexpensive solution for closing the device according to the invention consists in the use of plugs. Another advantage is that this closure option is reversible.
• a particular advantage of the device according to the invention is its great flexibility with regard to the use of means for filling or emptying the individual chambers, since these can be hydraulic, pneumatic or other conveying means or control means.
• Attaching the device according to the invention to a vehicle has the advantage that it is relatively inexpensive and also autonomously mobile.
• the use of the device according to the invention for conveying purposes has the advantage that it can also be used for conveying or emptying in places that are difficult to access.
• the use of the device according to the invention in a self-propelled vacuum cleaner has the advantage that a high degree of self-sufficiency is combined with an optimal cleaning effect.
• a particular advantage is achieved if the device according to the invention is used in a method in which the device is attached to a connection point for this device. This allows the device to be assembled in an automated process.
• the automated fastening of the device according to the invention in a method is further facilitated by its positioning by a robot.
• Another advantage of using a robot is that it can directly fix the device according to the invention with pressure at the attachment point.
• Another advantage of the device according to the invention is that by introducing pressure media into the device an extension of this device can also be achieved and thus the device itself can also exert pressure.
• Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 shows two exemplary embodiments in cross section.
• FIG. 3 shows an exemplary arrangement for carrying out the method according to the invention.
• Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention as a vacuum cleaner.
• FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention. It shows a movable tubular device with an inner cladding layer IM, an outer cladding layer AM and chambers K1 to K3 which are located between the outer and the inner cladding layer. Plugs S can be attached at one end in order to close the chambers so that they are sealed against filler. On the other hand, plugs with holes are introduced in which there are hose nipples N.
• an axis cross xyz for illustrating the direction of movement of the device according to the invention.
• the device according to the invention moves in the y direction if the two other chambers K1 and K2 are not acted upon.
• a conveying means is applied to the chamber K1
• the device according to the invention moves in the x direction.
• Pressurizing the chamber K2 with a conveying means leads to a movement in the negative x direction.
• FIG. 1 a segment made of a cladding layer AM or IM is shown.
• Reinforcing fibers e.g. made of fiberglass or nylon or similar stiffening materials and designated F.
• an angle ⁇ is indicated, by means of which the deviation of the fiber course from a vertical cut surface, e.g. is shown at the end of the device according to the invention.
• a suitable geometry for the incorporation of these reinforcing fibers F can result in an additional rotary movement of the device according to the invention being effected under pressure.
• FIG. 2 shows two cross-sectional areas Q1 and Q2 of an exemplary device according to the invention.
• Q1 shows a device according to the invention, which is made from two circular cross-sectional areas of the outer lateral surface AM and inner lateral surface IM. It consists of two chambers K with material webs S.
• a square device according to the invention is shown in cross section Q2. It shows an outer cladding layer AM which is square and an inner cladding layer IM which is also square. These two outer and inner cladding layers are connected by material webs S in the corners.
• FIG. 3 shows an exemplary arrangement for carrying out the method according to the invention for fastening the device VO according to the invention.
• a pressure reservoir P is shown, which can contain, for example, a hydraulic oil or a pressure gas.
• An electronic control device ES is shown, which can actuate valves VI, V2 and V3 via lines L1, L2 and L3. These valves VI to V3 are connected on one side to the reservoir P and on the other side to the chambers of the device VO according to the invention, so that the valves VI to V3 are used to fill the device according to the invention from the pressure reservoir or to empty it device VO according to the invention via the electronic control ES can be controlled.
• FIG. 3 also shows an articulated arm robot with a gripper G. This gripper grips the device according to the invention.
• the directions of movement of the articulated arm robot are indicated by arrows.
• a workpiece WS is indicated with an attachment point for the device AS according to the invention.
• a device according to the invention is shown with a circular cross section. The device according to the invention is assembled or attached to the attachment point AS as follows:
• the articulated arm robot R brings the device VO according to the invention approximately into position over the attachment point AS. This position is predetermined.
• the valves VI and V2 and V3 are now controlled via the electronic control ES. This causes a fine positioning of the device according to the invention, i.e. the end E of the device according to the invention is positioned over the attachment point AS.
• the robot arm R now performs a downward movement and presses the device according to the invention onto the attachment point AS.
• the end E of the device according to the invention is set into a rotational movement via the valves VI and V2 and V3 in connection with the electronic control and the pressure reservoir P. Under the pressure that the robot arm exerts with the gripper on the device VO according to the invention, the end E now rotates on the attachment point AS and the device according to the invention is fastened.
• the other end of the device BE according to the invention can be separated from the hoses and the chambers of the device according to the invention are closed, for example by welding or with plugs be sealed.
• a special filler can also be introduced into the chambers of the device according to the invention.
• FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention as a vacuum cleaner.
• a mobility device MM with a control computer SR and devices VO according to the invention are shown, which in this case are arranged one behind the other so that their cavities HO are connected in a medium-tight manner (cf. FIG. 1).
• the control computer SR fulfills several functions, on the one hand it controls the mobility means MM, here a vehicle, and on the other hand it serves to control the devices VO according to the invention.
• the mobility means MM furthermore contains funding and control means for the devices according to the invention, as are also shown in FIG. 3.
• the devices VO according to the invention can be moved independently of one another.
• individual devices according to the invention only serve for mass transport, ie represent connections for filling or control means and are immobile. It is particularly important in this embodiment that the cavities HO, which enclose the devices according to the invention, are connected to one another in a medium-tight manner.
• hoses can be passed through the respective chambers of the devices according to the invention, which are arranged upstream, be carried out so that each individual chamber of each device VO according to the invention can be filled or emptied from the mobility device.
• a suction brush SB is attached to the end of the devices according to the invention arranged one after the other.
• This vacuum cleaner is used, for example, for automatic building cleaning and there is a program in the control computer which contains a building plan.
• the vacuum cleaner now travels through the individual programmed areas of the building and reaches, for example, an inaccessible area which is located below a cupboard or desk, or similarly conceivable inaccessible places.
• the vacuum cleaner now stops in front of this inaccessible area and by means of the control computer SR with the electronic control for the devices according to the invention contained therein, the vacuum cleaner brush is moved to the desired inaccessible place. This is done, for example, as described in FIG. 3, by filling and emptying the respective chambers of the devices according to the invention, so that the vacuum cleaner brush moves at the end of the devices arranged one after the other.
• the dust is then suctioned off at corresponding points via a negative pressure and reaches a storage container in the mobility means.
• the device After completing this task, the device continues to move independently along its operational route and does the same in other inaccessible places.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Robotics (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=6457916

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1992
  • 1992-04-30 DE DE19924214378 patent/DE4214378C1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1993
  • 1993-04-27 WO PCT/DE1993/000371 patent/WO1993022108A1/de active Application Filing

Patent Citations (7)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events