U.S. patent application number 11/908993 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-26 for method and device for building automatically conglomerate structures.
Invention is credited to Moreno Chiarugi, Enrico Dini, Roberto Nannini.
Application Number | 20080148683 11/908993 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37024203 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080148683 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dini; Enrico ; et
al. |
June 26, 2008 |
Method and Device for Building Automatically Conglomerate
Structures
Abstract
The present invention relates to the automatic construction of
buildings or other heavy constructions by a method and a device
suitable for reducing the construction time and for assisting its
relative operations. This method comprises the steps of
CAD-modelling a structure through volume or surface modelling
steps, sectioning the structure computed model with horizontal
parallel planes according to a predetermined pitch, prearranging an
apparatus that deposits in alternation a layer of granular material
and a liquid binder only in coincidence with the solid portions of
said plane, within containing walls that define a closed perimeter.
This method can be carried out by an apparatus having a horizontal
frame (1) suitable for supporting a bridge crane (15) capable of
causing and operating head to move (16) in a horizontal plane
defined by said horizontal frame (1). The frame (1) is movable
along four uprights (3, 4, 5, 6) vertically (11,12,13,14), the
bridge crane (15) is sliding horizontally (18), and the operating
head is sliding horizontally (19).
Inventors: |
Dini; Enrico; (Calcinaia,
IT) ; Chiarugi; Moreno; (Calcinaia, IT) ;
Nannini; Roberto; (Donoratico- Castagneto Carducci,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DENNISON, SCHULTZ & MACDONALD
1727 KING STREET, SUITE 105
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
37024203 |
Appl. No.: |
11/908993 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
March 16, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2006/000596 |
371 Date: |
October 9, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/741.1 ;
52/749.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 64/165 20170801;
B28B 1/001 20130101; B28B 7/465 20130101; E04B 1/3505 20130101;
B29C 67/243 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/741.1 ;
52/749.1 |
International
Class: |
E04G 21/14 20060101
E04G021/14; E04B 1/00 20060101 E04B001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 2005 |
IT |
PI2005A000031 |
Claims
1. A method for building automatically conglomerate structures,
characterized in that it comprises the steps of: CAD modelling a
structure of building, in particular with a CAD function of surface
modelling or of volume modelling, obtaining a computer file
structure model; sectioning said computer file structure model with
horizontal parallel planes, in particular planes that are
equidistant according to a predetermined pitch, in order to
generate a plurality of cross section planes of the structure
comprising solid and empty areas, corresponding to the solid and
empty parts of the structure, said planes being sorted from below
towards the above; prearranging, within containing walls that
define a closed perimeter, an apparatus suitable for depositing in
alternation a layer of granular material and a liquid binder.
moving said apparatus within said perimeter in order to deposit a
first uniform horizontal layer of granular inert material of
thickness corresponding to said predetermined pitch; spraying a
first layer of binder by said apparatus in order to reproduce a
first plane of said cross section planes, forming a layer of inert
material and of binder only at said solid areas, said apparatus
having an operating head suitable for moving in a horizontal plane;
raising vertically said apparatus according to said pitch;
repeating the deposition step of granular inert material and
repeating on it the binder spraying step as many times as are the
horizontal cross sections of the structure, each time for a
different and vertically next cross section plane, up to complete
the last layer; removing the inert material that has not been bond
by the binder and that has accumulated within said perimeter,
freeing a solid structure that repeats accurately said structure
model.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step of modelling
provides a step of enveloping said structure or a portion of it
with a plurality of elementary volumes, and, in particular said
single volumes are selected from the group comprised of:
parallelepipeds, cylinders, prisms, spheres or parts or
combinations of them.
3. Method according to claim 1, wherein said single volumes have
vertical edges or vertical generatrix parallel to vertical sides of
said structure and have horizontal edges parallel to the horizontal
planes of said structure.
4. Method according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises an
operating head piloted on said horizontal plane with independent
motion or interpolated motion according to Cartesian or polar
coordinates.
5. Method according to claim 1, wherein said resin is selected from
the group comprised of: epoxy resins; cross linking
polyurethane.
6. Method according to claim 1, wherein said resin has a viscosity
set between 3 and 10 poises, and preferably between 6 and 8 poises,
and is adapted to be fluid enough to penetrate between the granules
of the granular material for a height corresponding to said pitch
thus achieving the layer of granular material previously
formed.
7. Method according to claim 1, wherein said granular material has
a granulometry of value set between 0.1 and 2 mm, and preferably
between 0.5 and 1.5 mm whereby it has a value of maximum effective
porosity adapted to cause said binder to penetrate between the
deposited granules up to reaching the layer already sprayed in the
previous cycle.
8. An apparatus for building automatically conglomerate structures,
characterized in that it comprises: a closed perimeter defined by
containing walls; a horizontal frame suitable for supporting a
bridge crane capable of causing an operating head to move in a
horizontal plane defined by said horizontal frame within said
perimeter; means for actuating said operating head on said
horizontal plane parallel to said bridge crane; a framework having
at least one upright capable of supporting said horizontal frame;
means for moving said horizontal frame in a vertical direction; a
control unit suitable for controlling the succession of operations
up to completion of said structure; wherein said containing walls
are capable to contain said inert material in a working area larger
than said conglomerate structure.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said operating head
comprises a blade that is adapted to slide on the deposited inert
material to uniform it in order to achieve a predetermined
thickness, on the whole working area.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said containing walls
are vertical and define a parallelepiped or cylindrical volume on
said working area.
11. Apparatus according to claim 8, where a covering is provided
for roofing said containing walls.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said covering is
capable of stopping hermetically said volume so that a vacuum can
be created inside.
13. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said operating head
comprises: at least one binder spraying nozzle operated by a
controlled electro valve; a premixing head; a feeding pump; a
reservoir; a washing system.
14. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said operating head
comprises a volumetric doser for supplying said operating head with
a known amount of inert material for each stroke.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to building and, in particular
to the automatic construction of buildings or other heavy
constructions by a method and a device suitable for reducing the
building time and for assisting its relative operations. The
present invention is used also to build particularly articulated
and complex structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many methods are known for making buildings, with different
construction techniques and materials.
[0003] A well known technique uses concrete that is cast in a
semi-fluid form in a formwork. With this technique volumes of
concrete are obtained having the shape of the formwork used.
[0004] This technique has the drawback a complex work is required
to obtain complex forms having convexities and concavities, mainly
owing to the difficulty to provide formworks with shape complex and
owing to the low resistance to pulling stresses of the concrete,
which requires the use of steel reinforcements that must be folded
to follow the shape of the formwork.
[0005] Another drawback is the cost of the manual work to make the
formwork before casting the concrete and for removing the formworks
after hardening.
[0006] A further drawback is the cost of the formwork material.
[0007] Another drawback of the method for construction with
concrete is the waiting time necessary for hardening.
[0008] It is felt, then, the need of a method for making buildings,
which is quick and not expensive, suitable for being carried out
with an automatic method
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] A feature of the present invention is therefore that to
provide a method for making automatically buildings and other works
in the building industry.
[0010] Another feature of the invention is to provide a method for
making buildings obtained with volumes with even complex shape,
comprising also concave or convex surfaces, and undercut portions
of whichever form and size.
[0011] A further object is to provide a method suitable for
providing structures resistant not only to compression, but even to
pulling stresses.
[0012] Another feature of the invention is to provide an apparatus
suitable for carrying out said method.
[0013] These and other objects are achieved by a method for
building automatically conglomerate structures, characterized in
that it comprises the steps of:
[0014] CAD modelling a structure of building, in particular with a
CAD function of surface modelling or of volume modelling, obtaining
a computer file structure model;
[0015] sectioning said computer file structure model with
horizontal parallel planes according to a predetermined pitch, in
order to generate a plurality of cross section planes of the
structure comprising solid and empty areas, corresponding to the
solid and empty parts of the structure, said planes being sorted
from below towards the above;
[0016] prearranging an apparatus suitable for depositing in
alternation a layer of granular material and a liquid binder within
containing walls that define a closed perimeter;
[0017] moving said apparatus within said perimeter in order to
deposit a first uniform horizontal layer of granular inert material
of thickness corresponding to said predetermined pitch;
[0018] spraying a first layer of binder by said apparatus in order
to reproduce a first plane of said cross section planes, forming a
layer of inert material and of binder only at said solid areas,
said apparatus having a operating head suitable for moving in a
horizontal plane;
[0019] raising vertically said apparatus according to said
pitch;
[0020] repeating the deposition step of granular inert material and
repeating on it the binder spraying step as many times as are the
horizontal cross sections of the structure, each time for a
different and vertically next cross section plane up to complete
the last layer;
[0021] removing the inert material that has not been bond by the
binder and that has accumulated within said perimeter, freeing a
solid structure that repeats accurately said structure model.
[0022] In particular, said method provides a step of enveloping
said structure or portion of it with a plurality of single volumes
that envelope said structure.
[0023] In particular, said single volumes are selected from the
group comprised of: parallelepipeds, cylinders, prisms, spheres or
parts or combinations of them.
[0024] Advantageously, said single volumes have edges or vertical
generatrix parallel to vertical sides of said structure and the
horizontal edges parallel to the horizontal planes of said
structure.
[0025] In a preferred exemplary embodiment said parallel and
horizontal cross section planes are equidistant with respect to
each other.
[0026] Advantageously, a CAM system is provided having graphical
environment suitable for displaying said model structure file.
[0027] Always advantageously, said apparatus comprises an operating
head piloted on said horizontal planes with independent motion or
interpolated motion according to Cartesian or polar
coordinates.
[0028] According to another aspect of the present invention, an
apparatus for building automatically conglomerate structures is
characterized in that it comprises:
[0029] a closed perimeter defined by containing walls;
[0030] a horizontal frame suitable for supporting a bridge crane
capable of causing a operating head to move in a horizontal plane
defined by said horizontal frame within said perimeter;
[0031] means for actuating said operating head on said horizontal
plane parallel to said bridge crane;
[0032] a framework having at least one upright capable of
supporting said horizontal frame;
[0033] means for moving said horizontal frame in a vertical
direction;
[0034] a control unit suitable for controlling the succession of
operations up to completion of said structure;
[0035] wherein said containing walls are capable to contain said
inert material in a working area larger than said conglomerate
structure.
[0036] In a preferred exemplary embodiment said containing walls
are vertical and define a parallelepiped or cylindrical volume on
said working area.
[0037] Advantageously, a covering is provided for roofing said
containing walls.
[0038] In particular, said covering is capable of stopping
hermetically said volume so that a vacuum can be created
inside.
[0039] Advantageously, said operating head comprises:
[0040] at least one binder spraying nozzle operated by a controlled
electro valve;
[0041] a premixing head;
[0042] a feeding pump;
[0043] a reservoir;
[0044] a washing system.
[0045] In a preferred exemplary embodiment, said operating head
comprises a volumetric doser for supplying said operating head with
a known amount of inert material for each stroke.
[0046] Advantageously, said operating head comprises a blade that
is adapted to slide on the deposited inert material to uniform it
in order to achieve a predetermined thickness, on the whole working
area.
[0047] In particular, said resin is selected from the group
comprised of:
[0048] epoxy resins;
[0049] cross linking polyurethane.
[0050] Advantageously, said resin has a viscosity set between 3 and
10 poises, and preferably between 6 and 8 poises, and is adapted to
be fluid enough to penetrate between the granules of the granular
material for a height corresponding to said pitch, thus reaching
the layer of granular material bonded in the previous step.
[0051] In particular, said granular material has a granulometry set
between 0.1 and 2 mm, and preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 mm. This
way the granular material has a value of maximum effective porosity
adapted to cause said binder to penetrate between the deposited
granules up to reaching the layer already sprayed in the previous
cycle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0052] The invention will be made clearer with the description of
some of its exemplary embodiments, exemplifying but not limitative,
with reference to the attached drawings wherein:
[0053] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for building automatically
conglomerate structures according to the present invention,
comprising a horizontal frame sliding vertically on which a bridge
crane is slidingly engaged that supports a operating head;
[0054] FIG. 2 shows an end portion of said bridge crane;
[0055] FIGS. 3 and 4 show respectively a perspective view and a
front view of an apparatus according to the invention and FIG. 5
shows a view of the operating head, relative to a first operative
deposition step of an amount of granular material;
[0056] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show the apparatus according to the
invention, during a step of spreading the granular material along
the exposed surface of the previously deposited layer;
[0057] FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show the apparatus at the end of a stroke
of spreading the binder;
[0058] FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show the apparatus during a back stroke
when the operating head sprays a binder on the layer of granular
material just deposited only on the solid areas of a cross
section;
[0059] FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 show the final part of the spraying
stroke;
[0060] FIGS. 18, 19 and 20 show the repetition of the first step
with a further deposition of an amount of granular material.
[0061] FIGS. 21 and 22 show respectively a perspective view and an
elevational view of the final steps of completion of the
building.
[0062] FIG. 23 shows a cross sectional view of a portion of a
structure comprising two layers of granular material 61 and 62
deposited in two successive steps.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0063] In the following description an example will be shown of an
embodiment of an apparatus that carries out the method according to
the invention.
[0064] In particular, in FIG. 1 an apparatus is described according
to the invention suitable for making automatically conglomerate
structures of buildings. It comprises a framework having four
uprights 3, 4, 5, 6 capable of supporting a horizontal frame 1
movable vertically along such uprights.
[0065] Horizontal frame 1, with closed shape has at least two
parallel sides 2 for slidingly engaging with two ends of a bridge
crane 15 which holds an operating head 16.
[0066] Altogether, operating head 16 moves along arrow 19
perpendicular to the sliding direction 18 of bridge crane 15 and
frame 1 can move vertically along arrows 11, 12, 13, 14.
[0067] In FIG. 2 an end portion of bridge crane 15 is shown more in
detail. The bridge crane structure 15 comprises a beam 21, having
at each end a couple of wheels 23 that engage with the inner part
of the beams 2 of FIG. 1. A guide 20 is provided integral and
parallel to beam 21 that slidingly holds a slide 24 of operating
head 16, which is capable of spraying a liquid binder on a just
deposited layer of granular material. Beam 21 supports a hopper 17
with elongated shape, which extends along the length of beam 21 and
is adapted to deposit a predetermined amount of granular material
at one end of the depositing plane. Along beam 21 a blade is
arranged for spreading the granular material just deposited by the
above described hopper 17.
[0068] FIGS. 3 and 4 show respectively a perspective view and a
front view of an apparatus according to the invention and FIG. 5 is
a view of operating head 16, relative to a first operative
deposition step of an amount of granular material, in which frame 1
is at the position of zero (ground level), bridge crane 15 is in
its first stop position and operating head 16 is in its first stop
position.
[0069] The apparatus comprises four containing walls 31 that define
a volume that is going to be filled with granular material
following the method according to the invention.
[0070] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show the apparatus according to the
invention, during a step of spreading the granular material along
the exposed surface of the previously deposited layer. In this step
bridge crane 15 moves towards its second limit stop, distributing
and leveling the granular material deposited in the previous step,
by blade 22.
[0071] FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show the apparatus at the end of the
previous step. Frame 1 is still at ground level, bridge crane 15
has achieved its second limit stop and is still, while operating
head 16 is still at its first limit stop.
[0072] FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show the apparatus in a step of back
stroke when operating head 16 sprays the binder on the layer of
granular material only at the solid areas of the calculated cross
section. In this step frame 1 is still at the zero level, bridge
crane 15 moves back and operating head 16 sprays the binder and
moves along its sliding axis.
[0073] FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 show the apparatus at the end of the
spraying step, when frame 1 is still at ground level, bridge crane
15 and operating head 16 have moved back to their first limit stop.
In this position, the doser 40 of bridge crane 15 is filled with an
amount of granular material to be deposited in the next step.
[0074] FIGS. 18, 19 and 20 show the repetition of the previous
steps, in particular of the first step, on a second distribution
level reached by raising frame 1 for a height equal to the pitch.
In this step the amount of granular material stored in the previous
step is deposited by doser 40. When frame 1 is stepped up, bridge
crane 15 and operating head 16 are at the respective first limit
stops.
[0075] In FIG. 21 the apparatus is carrying out its last step
before completion of the conglomerate structure.
[0076] In FIG. 22 the structure of building 50 has been completed.
The next steps are the evacuation of the granular material not
cemented by the binder, thus leaving the cemented part and then the
structure, and removing the containing walls and then the
apparatus.
[0077] FIG. 23 shows a cross sectional view of a portion of
structure comprising two layers of granular material 61 and 62
deposited in two successive steps. The resin is selected from the
group comprised of epoxy resin and cross linking polyurethane; it
has a viscosity set between 3and 10 poises, and preferably between
6 and 8 poises, and is adapted to be fluid enough to penetrate
between the granules of the granular material for a height
corresponding to pitch 68, thus achieving the layer 64 of granular
material previously formed.
[0078] In particular, said granular material has a granulometry set
between 0.1 and 2 mm, and preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 mm; this
way the granular material has a maximum effective porosity adapted
to cause said binder to penetrate between the deposited granules up
to reaching the layer already sprayed in the previous cycle.
[0079] The foregoing description of specific embodiments will so
fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of
view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able
to modify and/or adapt for various applications such embodiments
without further research and without departing from the invention,
and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and
modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the
specific embodiments. The means and the materials to realise the
different functions described herein could have a different nature
without, for this reason, departing from the field of the
invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or
terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and
not of limitation.
* * * * *