This invention relates to a robot for a work on a wall surface of a building or other structure. The robot is particularly suitable for use on a wall surface at an elevated location. In this robot, a moving scaffold or gondola which is hung by wire ropes is used as a main module and moduled arm and wrist which are required for the work are combined with the main module.
In structures such a buildings, power stations, tanks, chimneys and bridges, cleaning and repair works on outer wall surfaces of these structures become often necessary after building of these structures.
These works are conventionally performed by workmen working in a moving scaffold which is hung by wire ropes from the roof of a building. For doing a limited type of work such as window cleaning, a specialized robot for exclusively doing this work has recently been developed and is replacing manual labor by workmen.
In a coating work made on a wall surface of a structure, it is a general procedure to inspect wall surface conditions first, then clean the wall surface and thereafter spray-coat the wall surface. Only a part of this series of work, e.g., inspection of wall surface conditions or cleaning of wall surface, is replaced by a machine such as a wall surface inspecting robot or a wall surface cleaning robot but there is currently no machine capable of performing all of the series of work performed on the wall surface so that development of a work machine such as a robot in this field is desirable.
The prior art specialized robot for doing window cleaning or wall surface inspection is designed in conformity to a wall surface configuration of a structure to be on and, accordingly, such specialized robot is not only unable to do other works but is unable to be used in other structures by moving the robot to such other structures.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a robot for a work on a wall surface capable of being used for all types of works performed on a wall surface and also capable of being carried to any desired structure.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds