Patent Publication Number: US-10787343-B2

Title: Self-climbing robot for installing elevator guide rail

Description:
This application claims priority to Chinese application number 201811405011.2, filed Nov. 23, 2018, with a title of Self-climbing robot for installing elevator guide rail. The above-mentioned patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the field of installation equipment for an elevator guide rail, and more particularly to a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, with the increase in the number of high-rise buildings, the demand for elevators has increased, resulting in an increase in the workload of elevator wells. The main job of elevator installation is to install the elevator guide rails. The installation effect of the elevator depends on the installation precision of the guide rails. At present, the elevator guide rails are generally installed manually, and the workers ensure the installation precision of the guide rails through repeated installation inspections. However, there are many shortcomings in the manual installation of the guide rails that: the high-precision installation of the elevator guide rails requires high experience for the operators; even if for the experienced operators, the installation precision of the guide rails needs to be ensured by repeated adjustment of the position of the installing parts. In addition, since the space of the well is narrow, the depth of the well is deep, and the work intensity of the workers is large, the workers are prone to fatigue for the long-term well operation, which leads to safety accidents. These are not in line with the requirements of current safe production, so the realization of well automation, especially the high-precision automated installation of elevator guide rails, has become an urgent problem to be solved. 
     SUMMARY 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail to solve the above problems in the prior art, and realize self-climbing of the robot in the elevator well so that the robot can automatically complete the task of measuring a well and installing a guide rail so as to reduce the work intensity of workers. 
     In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solution. The present invention provides a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail, comprising: a climbing mobile platform, a working mobile platform, a rectangular parallelepiped frame and a PLC control unit, wherein the frame is fixedly provided with a first platform, a second platform, a third platform and a fourth platform from bottom to top, the top end of a screw provided vertically is fixedly connected with the fourth platform, and the bottom end of the screw is fixedly connected with the first platform; the climbing mobile platform and the working mobile platform are provided with a nut engaged with the screw and a driving mechanism capable of driving the rotation of the nut, respectively, the driving mechanism comprises a driving motor and a pulley box, the working mobile platform is located above the climbing mobile platform, both the climbing mobile platform and the working mobile platform are slidingly connected with the frame, and the climbing mobile platform and the working mobile platform are only capable of sliding in the vertical direction; 
     the second platform and the climbing mobile platform are fixedly provided with four rail clamps corresponding to the guide rail, respectively; 
     the third platform and the fourth platform are horizontally provided with four sets of cross-shaped sliding platforms, respectively, the long strokes of the cross-shaped sliding platforms on the car side and the counterweight side are in parallel with the side walls of the car side and the counterweight side, respectively, the upper slider of the cross-shaped sliding platform is fixedly connected with a rail clamp, respectively, the bottom surface of the third platform is fixedly provided with four tightening devices a corresponding to the guide rail, the bottom surface of the fourth platform is fixedly provided with four linear sliding platforms c in the X-axis direction corresponds to the guide rail, each of the linear sliding platforms c is fixedly provided with two impact drills, and the distance between the two impact drills is equal to the center distance between expanded bolt holes of a guide rail bracket; 
     the upper plane of the working mobile platform is provided with four linear sliding platforms a corresponding to the guide rail, each of the linear sliding platforms a is fixedly connected with a bracket push rod, the bracket push rod is provided with a set of tightening devices b, the bracket push rod at the car side is symmetrically provided with two welding guns, the bracket push rod at the counterweight side is provided with a welding gun; the upper plane of the working mobile platform is provided with four linear sliding platforms b corresponding to the guide rail, the upper slider of each of the linear sliding platforms b is fixedly connected with a rail clamp; 
     the driving motor, the cross-shaped sliding platform, the tightening device a, the tightening device b, the linear sliding platform a, the linear sliding platform b, the linear sliding platform c, and all of the above rail clamps are electrically connected with the PLC control unit, respectively. 
     Preferably, the climbing mobile platform is located between the first platform and the second platform, and the working mobile platform is located between the third platform and the fourth platform. 
     Preferably, the frame between the first platform and the second platform is provided with four vertical first guide rails, the climbing mobile platform is fixedly provided with a slider slidably engaged with the first guide rails; the frame between the third platform and the fourth platform is provided with four vertical second guide rails, and the climbing mobile platform is fixedly provided with a slider slidably engaged with the second guide rails. 
     Preferably, a base plate is provided between the first guide rail and the frame and between the second guide rail and the frame, respectively. 
     Preferably, the self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail further comprises: a trolley car slidably engaged with the installed guide rail, wherein the bottom of the frame is provided with an electric winch capable of controlling the trolley car to lift. 
     Preferably, each of the tightening devices a and each of the tightening devices b comprise two electric wrenches, and the center distance between the two electric wrenches is equal to the distance between the center holes of the ends of the guide rail. 
     Preferably, the linear sliding platform a at the car side is provided along the Y axis, the linear sliding platform a at the counterweight side is provided along the X axis; the linear sliding platform b at the car side is provided along the Y axis, and the linear sliding platform b at the counterweight side is provided along the X axis. 
     Preferably, the bracket push rod is welded by a steel plate and an angle iron. 
     Preferably, the driving motor is a servo motor. 
     The self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention achieves the following technical effects with respect to the prior art. 
     The self-climbing robot for installing the elevator guide rail according to the present invention realizes the self-climbing of the robot in the elevator well, and the robot can automatically complete the task of measuring a well and installing a guide rail so as to reduce the work intensity of workers. The self-climbing robot for installing the elevator guide rail according to the present invention can climb along the installed guide rail when installing the elevator guide rail, and automatically install the next guide rail after climbing to the top of the installed guide rail, and so on, so as to complete the entire installation of the elevator guide rail. The present invention eliminates the process of scaffolding in the traditional method for installing the elevator guide rail, and at the same time, and no worker participation is required in the well during the construction operation, avoiding dangerous accidents, and ensuring the safety of the workers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings to be used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are merely some embodiments of the present invention. Other drawings may be obtained from these drawings for those skilled in the art without any creative labor. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail in an elevator well according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view illustrating a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a left view illustrating a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view illustrating a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view illustrating a frame of a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a left view illustrating a frame of a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a left view illustrating a climbing mobile platform of a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view illustrating a climbing mobile platform of a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a left view illustrating a working mobile platform of a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view illustrating a working mobile platform of a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     In these drawings,  1 - a  first platform,  2 - a  climbing mobile platform,  3 - a  third platform,  4 - a  working mobile platform,  5 - a  fourth platform,  6 - a  screw,  7 - a  second platform,  8 - a  frame,  9 -an installed guide rail,  10 - a  well,  101 - a  square steel plate,  102 - a  ball screw base,  103 - a  short linear guide rail,  104 - a  short base plate,  105 - a  long linear guide rail,  106 - a  long base plate,  107 - a  short square tube,  201 - a  rail clamp a,  202 - a  linear guide rail slider a,  203 - a  channel steel a,  204 - a  pulley box a,  205 - a  servo motor a,  206 - a  right-angled connecting plate a,  301 - a  tightening device a,  302 - a  rail clamp c,  303 - a  cross-shaped sliding platform a,  401 - a  rail clamp d,  402 - a  linear sliding platform b,  403 - a  linear guide rail slider b,  404 - a  welding gun,  405 - a  channel steel b,  406 - a  beam,  407 - a  pulley box b,  408 - a  tightening device b,  409 - a  bracket push rod,  410 - a  servo motor b,  411 - a  linear sliding platform a,  412 - a  right-angled connecting plate b,  501 - a  cross-shaped sliding platform b,  502 - a  rail clamp e,  503 - a  linear sliding platform c,  504 - a  impact drill,  701 - a  rail clamp b. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. It is obvious that the described embodiments are merely a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts are within the scope of the present invention. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail to solve the problems existing in the prior art and realize the self-climbing of the robot in the elevator well, so that the robot can automatically complete the task of measuring a well and installing a guide rail so as to reduce the work intensity of workers. 
     The present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments so that the above objects, features and advantages of the present invention can be more clearly understood. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-10 , the self-climbing robot for installing an elevator guide rail according to the present embodiment comprises a frame  8 , a climbing mobile platform  2 , and a working mobile platform  4 . 
     The frame  8  is a rectangular parallelepiped as a whole, and the frame  8  has four platforms from bottom to top, which are a first platform  1 , a second platform  7 , a third platform  3  and a fourth platform  5 . Each of the platforms is welded by square tubes. Four short square tubes  107  are welded to the square tubes at counterweight side of the four platforms of the frame  8 , wherein two short square tubes form a group, and each group of short square tubes  107  is adjacent to the counterweight guide rail at both sides. The top end of a screw  6  provided vertically is fixedly connected with the fourth platform  5 , and the bottom end of the screw  6  is fixedly connected with the first platform  1 ; the climbing mobile platform  2  and the working mobile platform  4  are provided with a nut engaged with the screw  6  and a driving mechanism capable of driving the rotation of the nut, respectively, the driving mechanism comprises a driving motor and a pulley box, the working mobile platform  4  is located above the climbing mobile platform  2 , both the climbing mobile platform  2  and the working mobile platform  4  are slidingly connected with the frame  8 , and the climbing mobile platform  2  and the working mobile platform  4  are only capable of sliding in the vertical direction. 
     Four short base plates  104  are welded to the four long square tubes of the frame  8  between the first platform  1  and the second platform  7 , a short linear guide rail  103  is fixedly connected with the short base plates  104  on the square tubes by bolts, four long base plates  106  are welded to the four long square tubes between the third platform  3  and the fourth platform  5 , and the long linear guide rail  105  is fixedly connected with the long base plates  106  on the square tubes by bolts. The first platform  1  is fixedly connected with two channel steels in the middle, a square steel plate  101  is welded to the channel steel, and the ball screw base  102  is fixed on the square steel plate  101  by bolts. 
     The square tube on the second platform  7  opposite to the car side and the counterweight side is fixedly connected with the rail clamp b 701  by bolts, and the rail clamp b 701  is coincident with the corresponding guide rail. 
     Four sets of cross-shaped sliding platforms a 303  are provided on the square tube corresponding to the guide rail on the upper plane of the third platform  3 , the Y direction of the cross-shaped sliding platform at the car side is a long stroke, the X direction at the counterweight side is a long stroke, and the upper sliding block of the cross-shaped sliding platform a 303  is connected with the rail clamp c 302  by bolts. Four sets of tightening devices a 301  are provided on the lower plane of the third platform  3 . The position of the tightening device a 301  is coincident with the position of the corresponding guide rail. Each set of tightening devices is formed by two sets of electric wrenches, and the center distance between each two electric wrenches is equal to the center distance between horizontal holes of the ends of the guide rail. 
     Four sets of cross-shaped sliding platforms b 501  are provided on the square tube corresponding to the guide rail on the upper plane of the fourth platform  5 , the Y direction of the cross-shaped sliding platform b 501  at the car side is a long stroke, the X direction of the cross-shaped sliding platform b 501  at the counterweight side is a long stroke, and the upper sliding block of the cross-shaped sliding platform b 501  is connected with the rail clamp e 502  by bolts. Four sets of linear sliding platforms c 503  are provided on the square pipe corresponding to the guide rail on the lower plane of the fourth platform  5 . The linear sliding platform c 503  is provided along the X-axis direction. The linear sliding platform c 503  is fixedly connected with the bracket of the impact drill  504  by bolts. The bracket of the impact drill  504  is provided with two impact drills  504 , and the distance between the two impact drills  504  is equal to the center distance between expanded bolt holes of a guide rail bracket. The fourth platform  5  is fixedly connected with two channel steels in the middle. A square steel plate is welded in the middle of the channel steel, and the square steel plate is connected with a supporting base of the ball screw  6  by bolts. 
     The climbing mobile platform  2  comprises a square tube, four right-angled connecting plates a 206 , a linear guide rail slider a 202 , a rail clamp a 201 , a servo motor a 205  and a pulley box a 204 . The climbing mobile platform  2  is welded by square tubes. Four short square tubes  107  are welded to the square tubes at counterweight side, wherein two short square tubes form a group, and each group of short square tubes  107  is adjacent to the counterweight side. A right-angled surface of the right-angled connecting plate a 206  is connected with the climbing mobile platform  2 , and the other right-angled surface is connected with the linear guide rail slider a 202 . Two channel steels a 203  are provided in the middle of the climbing mobile platform  2 , a nut is connected with the channel steel of the climbing mobile platform  2  by bolts, the servo motor a 205  drives the nut to rotate through the pulley box a 204 , the servo motor a 205  is fixedly connected with the climbing mobile platform  2 , and a rail clamp a 201  is provided on the square tube on the climbing mobile platform  2  opposite to the car guide rail and the counterweight guide rail. 
     The working mobile platform  4  comprises a square tube, a rail clamp d 401 , a right-angled connecting plate b 412 , a linear guide rail slider b 403 , a bracket push rod  409 , a beam  406 , a servo motor b 410 , a linear sliding platform a 411 , an electric wrench b, and a welding gun  404 . The working mobile platform  4  is welded by square tubes. Four short square tubes  107  are welded to the square tubes at counterweight side, wherein two short square tubes  107  form a group, and each group of short square tubes  107  is adjacent to the counterweight side. A right-angled surface of the right-angled connecting plate b 412  is connected with the climbing mobile platform  2 , and the other right-angled surface is connected with the linear guide rail slider b 403 . The upper plane of the working mobile platform  4  is provided with four linear sliding platforms b 402 . The position of the linear sliding platform b 402  is coincident with the position of the corresponding guide rail. The sliding platform at the car side is provided along the Y axis, the sliding platform at the counterweight side is provided along the X axis, and the upper slider of the linear sliding platform b 402  is connected with the rail clamp d 401  by bolts. 
     Four linear sliding platforms a 411  are provided at the position corresponding to the guide rail on the lower plane of the working mobile platform  4 , and the position thereof is consistent with the position of the corresponding guide rail. The linear sliding platform a 411  at the car side is provided along the Y axis, and the linear sliding platform a 411  at the counterweight side is provided along the X axis. The linear sliding platform a 411  is fixedly connected with the bracket push rod  409  by bolts. The bracket push rod  409  is welded by the steel plate and the angle iron. The push rod  409  is provided with a set of tightening devices b 408 , and each set of tightening device b 408  is formed by two electric wrenches. The end of the electric wrench is provided with a sleeve. The center distance between the two electric wrenches is equal to the center distance between the expanded bolt holes of the bracket. The bracket push rod  409  at the car side is symmetrically provided with two welding guns  404 . The bracket push rod  409  at the counterweight side is provided with a welding gun  404 . The working mobile platform  4  is welded with two channel steels b 405  in the middle. The nut is connected with the channel steel b 405  of the working mobile platform  4  by bolts, the servo motor b 410  drives the nut to rotate through the pulley box b 407 , and the servo motor b 410  is fixedly connected with the working mobile platform  4 . 
     The robot self-climbing function is realized in the process that four rail clamps b 701  fixed on the second platform  7  loosen the installed guide rail  9 , the four rail clamps a 201  fixedly connected on the climbing mobile platform  2  clamp the installed guide rail  9 , the nut is driven by the servo motor a 205 , and the nut is moved relatively to the screw  6 , so that the frame  8  is moved upward as a whole; after moving to a certain distance, the four rail clamps b 701  fixedly connected on the second platform  7  clamp the installed guide rail  9 , the four rail clamps a 201  fixedly connected on the climbing mobile platform  2  loosen the installed guide rail  9 , the servo motor a 205  drives the nut so that the climbing mobile platform  2  moves downward by a set distance, and the above process is repeated to realize the overall self-climbing of the robot. 
     It is to be noted that the self-climbing robot for installing the elevator guide rail of the embodiment further comprises a PLC control unit for controlling turning on and off each device, the PLC control unit is programmable, and the automation of the installation work of the robot can be realized by the PLC control unit. 
     In this embodiment, the self-climbing robot for installing the elevator guide rail climbs up along the installed guide rail  9 . When the robot climbs to the lower bracket position, the impact drill  504  of the fourth platform  5  drills the lower bracket hole. The robot continues to climb upwards. When the robot climbs to the upper bracket position, the impact drill  504  drills the upper bracket hole and transmits the upper and lower drilling data to the ground equipment. The robot climbs to the top of the installed guide rail  9  and locks the rail clamp to ensure the overall stiffness of the overall robot system. Workers install the bracket to the bracket to be installed according to the drilling data. The guide rail of the installed bracket is lifted by a trolley car. The four rail clamps d 401  on the working mobile platform  4  clamp the guide rail and are driven by the linear sliding platform b 402 . The sliding platform of each rail clamp is simultaneously translated, so that the guide rail to be installed is completely above the installed guide rail  9 . The servo motor b 410  drives the nut to lower the working mobile platform  4  so that the bottom end of the guide rail to be installed is completely fit with the top end of installed guide rail. Thereafter, the guide rail joint is tightened by the tightening device b 408 . The working mobile platform  4  is moved to the lower bracket, and the bracket at one end of the bolt to be expanded is pushed onto the hole of the wall body, and then the expanded bolt nut is tightened by the tightening device b 408 . After the nut is tightened, the welding gun  404  fixed on the bracket push rod  409  is spot-welded at the opening of the guide rail bracket. The working mobile platform  4  is raised to install the upper bracket. This completes the installation of all the guide rail brackets in a similar fashion. 
     The robot can climb along the installed guide rail when installing the elevator guide rail. After the robot climbs to the top of the installed guide rail  9 , the next guide rail can be automatically installed, and so on, so as to complete the entire installation of the elevator guide rail. The self-climbing robot for installing the elevator guide rail of the present embodiment eliminates the process of scaffolding in the traditional method for installing the elevator guide rail, and at the same time, and no worker participation is required in the well during the construction operation, thereby ensuring the safety of workers and reducing the occurrence of safety accidents. 
     In the description of the present invention, it is to be noted that the terms “top”, “bottom”, “X direction”, “Y direction”, “X axis”, “Y axis”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are merely for the convenience of the description of the present invention and the simplified description, rather than indicating or implying that the indicated device or component must have a specific orientation or must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it is not to be construed as limiting the present invention. 
     The principles and embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail using specific examples in the present disclosure. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of understanding the method of the present invention and the core idea thereof; at the same time, the specific embodiments and applications will vary based on the idea of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In summary, the content of the specification should not be construed as limiting the present invention.