SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRE-FABRICATION AND LAYING OUT OF COVERAGE OF A ROOM SURFACE
20210164237 · 2021-06-03
Inventors
Cpc classification
G05B19/4093
PHYSICS
Y02P90/02
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
E04F15/10
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
E04F15/08
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
G05B19/4097
PHYSICS
International classification
E04F15/02
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
E04F15/08
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
E04F15/10
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system (10) and method for coverage of at least a part of an inner surface (2) of a room (1) by means of a plurality of pre-fabricated and laid out plates (20).
Claims
1.-10. (canceled)
11. A system for coverage of at least a part of an inner surface of a wet room by means of a plurality of pre-fabricated and laid out plates, the system comprising laid out points of reference on the inner wet room surface, a 3D scanner adapted to scan a part of the inner wet room surface and the points of reference into a plurality of points of measuring to enable creating a digital 3D representation of the part of the inner wet room surface, a CAD/CAM system configured to receive the points of measuring from the 3D scanner and to create the digital 3D representation of the part of the inner wet room surface based on the points of measuring and to transform the digital 3D representation into a suitable number of individual digital plates with identification and dimensions and a CAM controlling manufacturing workflow to manufacture each individual plate accordingly, at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine configured to receive the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow and to physically manufacture the plates individually accordingly, and a lay out of each individually pre-fabricated plate in the wet room according to the predefined digital 3D representation, wherein the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow is adapted to control the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine when manufacturing each plate individually at least on its underside and its upper side to pre-form the plate to fit the upper surface of the inner room surface of the wet room onto which it is to be laid with its underside and to pre-form the plate to fit its upper side into any predefined slope of the final inner wet room surface when finished to enable drainage or outflow of water or the like.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine is configured to physically manufacture and mark the plates individually accordingly, and the transformation of the digital 3D representation of the inner room surface by means of the CAD/CAM system comprises dividing the digital 3D representation of the inner room surface into a digital grid pattern with a suitable number of individual digital pieces corresponding to the individual plates making up the inner room surface and identifying and dimensioning each individual plate digitally to enable pre-fabricating each individual plate physically by means of the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow before laying-out the individual plates after manufacture according to the predefined grid pattern in the wet room.
13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow is adapted to control the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine when manufacturing each plate individually to accomplish any predefined slopes of the finished inner room surface and making any opening through one or more associated plates as lead-through for any drain and/or water inlet or gully drain in the wet room if required according to the digital 3D representation of the inner room surface.
14. The system according to claim 11, comprising at least one packing adapted to pack the pre-fabricated plates in a pre-defined order according to the individual marking of each plate into at least one package of plates before the lay-out of each individual plate of the package in the wet room according to the predefined digital 3D representation.
15. The system according to claim 13, comprising at least one packing adapted to pack the pre-fabricated plates in a pre-defined order according to the individual marking of each plate into at least one package of plates before the lay-out of each individual plate of the package in the wet room according to the predefined digital 3D representation.
16. The system according to claim 14, comprising at least a transport to deliver the at least one plate package at the room before the lay-out of each individual plate in the room according to the predefined digital 3D representation.
17. A method of pre-fabricating and laying out plates for coverage of at least a part of an inner surface of a wet room, comprising laying out points of reference on the inner room surface, 3D scanning of a part of the inner room surface and the points of reference into a plurality of points of measuring, sending the plurality of points of measuring from the 3D scanning to a CAD/CAM system, creating a digital 3D representation of the inner room surface based on the received points of measuring from the 3D scanning by means of the CAD/CAM system, transforming the digital 3D representation into a suitable number of individual digital plates with identification and dimensions and a digital CAM controlling manufacturing workflow for physically manufacturing each individual plate accordingly for pre-fabrication, sending the digital CAM controlling manufacturing workflow to at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine for manufacturing the physical plates individually accordingly, and laying out each individually pre-fabricated plate in the room according to the predefined digital 3D representation, wherein the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow comprises manufacturing each plate individually at least on its underside and its upper side to preform the plate to fit the upper surface of the inner room surface onto which it is to be laid with its underside and to fit its upper side into any predefined slope of the final inner room surface when finished to enable drainage or outflow of water.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow forms each plate individually to accomplish any predefined slopes of the finished inner room surface and makes any opening through one or more associated plates to preform lead-through for any drain and/or water inlet or gully drain in the wet room if required according to the digital 3D representation of the inner room surface when covering the inner room surface.
19. The method according to claim 17, comprising packing of the pre-fabricated plates in a pre-defined order according to the individual marking of each plate into at least one package of plates before laying out each individual plate in the wet room according to the predefined digital 3D representation.
20. The method according to claim 19, comprising transport for delivery of at least one plate package at the room before the lay-out of each individual plate in the wet room according to the predefined digital 3D representation.
21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine for manufacturing marks the physical plates individually accordingly, and transforming the digital 3D representation of the inner room surface comprises dividing the digital 3D representation into a digital grid pattern with a suitable number of individual digital pieces corresponding to the physical individual plates making up the inner room surface and identifying and dimensioning each individual piece digitally to enable pre-fabricating each individual plate physically by means of the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow before laying out the individual plates physically after manufacture according to the predefined grid pattern in the wet room.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] The invention will now be explained in further details with reference to the drawings showing aspects/embodiments thereof.
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[0042]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] Aspects/Embodiments of the invention are disclosed below by reference to
[0044] The invention concerns a system 10 and method for coverage of at least a part of an inner surface 2 of a room 1, preferably a wet room, such as a bathroom, laundry/utility room or the like, by means of a plurality of pre-fabricated and laid out plates, boards or tiles 20. Such a plate, board or tile 20 comprises an underside 22, an upper side 23, a first end or side 26, a second end or side 27, a third end or side 28 and a fourth end or side 29, see
[0045] In
[0046] The inventor has invented a system 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and a method to adapt and pre-fabricate coverage material into “tailor-made” underlay material of relevant plate material 20 being divided into, for the inner surface part 2, relevant geometrical parts that subsequently, during installation in the room 1, are distributed in a predefined order over the inner surface. Each plate 20 is prefabricated by forming/shaping at least its underside 22 and/or upper side 23 or both these sides or more of its sides to adapt the shape and dimension of each individual plate to the specific inner surface 2 and the 3D space required in the wet room 1. In some areas of a wet room 1 where only levelling out of unevenness in its upper surface is required one or more plates 20 is prefabricated by forming/shaping at least its underside 22 and one or more of its ends or sides 26, 27, 28 and/or 29. In other areas of the wet room, one or more plates 20 is prefabricated by forming/shaping at least its underside 22 and its upper side 23. In yet other areas of the wet room 1, one or more plates 20 is prefabricated by forming/shaping at least its underside 22 and its upper side 23 and/or one or more of its ends or sides 26, 27, 28 and/or 29. In some aspects, a minority or majority/most of the plurality of the plates 20 making up the wet room 1 is prefabricated by forming/shaping at least their undersides 22 and their upper sides 23 and/or one or more of their ends/sides 26, 27, 28, 29. All plates 20 making up the wet room 1 is prefabricated by forming/shaping at least their undersides 22 and/or their upper sides 23 and/or one or more of their ends/sides 26, 27, 28, 29. The inventive pre-fabrication process is divided into several partial processes. A first process concerns scanning 30 the inner surface 2 for the creation of a CAD drawing being unique for the inner surface 2 and room 1, which is used to control the pre-manufacturing of the plates 20, see the three left upper views in
[0047] The scanner 30 is a portable 3D scanner that could be handheld by an operator 5 or user or installer of pre-fabricated plates 20 during scanning. The scanner 30 is laser equipment and/or one or more cameras configured for 3D scanning of surfaces/volumes The room 1 has a door 6 and if the room is a bathroom it usually comprises at least one washbasin 7, toilet 8 and/or shower or shower bath and/or bathtub 9. Before the inventive system 10 and method are applied to the room 1, which could be a residential room or apartment and/or an office or office space having no surface layer or underlay to such a surface layer, the room is prepared, e.g. by cleaning, for installation of surface coverage including material for foundation or bedding or underlay or subfloor. Alternatively, one or more digital cameras 30 is/are used for creating one or more 3D models of the surface 2 by photogrammetry, whereby one or more “clouds of measuring points” is/are created by means of at least two or a plurality of digital images, enabling to read/scan the surface 2 in a corresponding way as the 3D scanner. Alternatively, structured light 3D scanners or “white light” 3D scanners, most structured light 3D scanners using a blue or white LED projected light is usable. These 3D scanners project a light pattern consisting of bars, blocks or other shapes onto an object. The 3D scanner has one or more sensors that look at the edge of those patterns or structure shapes to determine the objects 3D shape of the surface 2. Using the same trigonometric triangulation method as laser scanners, i.e. the 3D scanner 30, the distance from the sensors to the light source is known whereby one or more “clouds of measuring points” is/are achievable accordingly as for the techniques above. Structured light scanners can be tripod mounted or hand held
[0048] The inner surface 2 of the room 1 to be covered by the pre-fabricated material in form of plates or boards and/or tiles 20 are scanned by the portable scanning equipment 30. Before doing this the inner surface 2 to be covered has been provided with required reference points 3 and horizontal lines and/or vertical lines, e.g. a digital water/spirit level with known length can be used. To be able to pre-fabricate the plates 20 to cover the inner surface 2 as a final result a design of a digital manufacturing scheme or programme for pre-shaping/pre-manufacturing these plates is performed by usage of the scanned data in the scanner 30. This data is forwarded to a CAD/CAM system 40 after scanning, e.g. a suitably equipped PC. The adaptation to any drainage, water inlet/outlet 4 on the inner surface 2, any shower walls or compartment in the room 1 and any levelling in relation to adjacent space/-s could be put into the digital manufacturing scheme or programme manually together with choice of cover material, i.e. type of plates 20. In the digital manufacturing scheme or programme, the inner surface 2 being scanned into a 3D representation 32 is divided into a suitable number of digital pieces 34 of a digital grid pattern 33, similar to a digital puzzle, and into digital representations 35 of each of the plates 20 in 3D to be physically manufactured accordingly. The plates 20 are suitably identified, e.g. by individual number markings, both digitally and physically to be easy to install according to the predefined grid pattern 33 at the final site, i.e. the actual room 1. One possible pattern is to lay out the first plate 20 or 1 or 1′ to the furthest left as seen from a door 6 and then laying out subsequent plates 20 or 2 or 3 or X from/to the right of the first plate 20/1/1′.
[0049]
[0050] The individual markings of the plates 20 with numerals being underlined, such as 1, 1′, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and X in
[0051] The methods of pre-fabrication/pre-manufacturing of the plates 20 could be subtractive and/or additive manufacture, such as cutting, milling, turning, e.g. wood peeling, casting or moulding, e.g. of plastic or composite or stone or ceramic tiles, 3D printing, or lamination of plates in one or more steps or any method being a combination of one or more of the above.
[0052]
[0053] In addition to the above parameters of dimensions etc. of the plates, the designer could add additional information into the digital manufacturing scheme or programme, e.g. apartment or room number, address of delivery, any marking or identification of their own, such as order number, or the like. This additional information enables providing basis for invoicing, packing and transport. The pre-shaping and pre-dimensioning of the plates 20 depends on if the inner surface 2 is flat or not, i.e. if it comprises sloping or not, and also if other ends or sides 26-29 of the plates 20 are to be adapted besides their undersides 22 and/or upper sides 23, then up to six plate sides could be adapted, e.g. if the plate is parallelepipedic. If a flat floor, wall or ceiling is to be achieved partly, it may be sufficient to only machine the underside 22 or the upper side 23, not both sides of one or more plates 20 while the remaining area of the inner room surface requiring a sloping for the exposed part of the finished inner surface 2, most often both the underside 22 and the upper side 23 of remaining plates 20 to laid there have to be machined accordingly, however, no machining of the underside 22 is required if the underlay onto which the plate 20 is laid with its underside 22 is totally flat. Most often in wet rooms 1, both the underside 22 and the upper side 23 of at least one or more plates must be adapted/processed/machined before laying them out. Frequently, edges 26-29 of the plates 20 will be manufactured so that the plate comprises some type of tongue and groove jointing. Cellular or expanded plastic could be moulded or machined to smooth the underlay onto which the plates 20 are to be laid and then laying the plates as an additional layer, such as fiberboards 20 with a surface layer. The weight of the laid layer is then reduced and the pressure or load on for example an older or existing joist frame or wood joist ceiling is thereby educed. This construction may be laid as a floating floor without gluing if the floor is to be covered with parquet, laminate or other board materials. If 3D printing is used to pre-manufacture the plates 20, there arises no need for additional machining or the like as the plates then are manufactured exactly according to the CAD/CAM scheme. The invention enables pre-fabricating underlay, sealing or waterproof compound and surface coverage (for a wet room, i.e. a bathroom 1) in one and the same plate or module 20 meaning that the installation is made more effective and a uniform quality is able to be maintained/achieved. In that case, any joints between the plates or modules 20 are sealed/spliced. In such modules 20, integration of underfloor heating is possible. The invention enables performing so many steps as possible in one operation or process to eliminate as many manual steps as possible and at the same time increase the quality of the work and final resulting surface coverage.
[0054] Additionally, the digital manufacturing scheme or programme is able to design the final finished sloping of the inner surface 2, e.g. to accomplish laying large clinker or ceramic tiles being as large as 60×60 cm without too large differences in levels between plates 20. Hence, also an installation instruction for the installer is able to be compiled. As an additional advantage, each plate 20 could be formed at least partly non-solid, e.g. by machining the underside 22 so that the plate weighs less or underfloor heating is able to be fitted to it. Hence, no additional adaptation of any plate 20 is required “in-situ”.
[0055] The system 10 and method according to the invention are used for coverage of at least a part of the inner room surface 2 by means of a plurality of pre-fabricated and laid out plates 20. The system 10 and method comprises laid out/laying out of the points of reference 3 on the inner room surface 2, and scanning by means of the 3D scanner 30 the part of the inner room surface 2 and the points of reference 3 into the plurality of points of measuring 31 enabling creating the digital 3D representation 32, 33, 34, 35 of the inner room surface 2. The inventive system 10 and method uses the CAD/CAM system 40 configured to receive the points of measuring 31 from the 3D scanner 30 and to create the digital 3D representation 32, 33, 34, 35 of the inner room surface part 2 based on the measuring points and to transform the digital 3D representation into the suitable number of individual digital plates 34 with identification and dimensions and the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow to manufacture each individual plate 20 accordingly. The inventive system 10 and method use the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine 50 configured to receive the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow and physically manufacture and mark the plates 20 individually accordingly. Then the layout of each individually pre-fabricated plate 20 in the room 1 is performed according to the predefined digital 3D representation 32, 33, 34, 35.
[0056] In an aspect of the inventive system 10, the transformation of the digital 3D representation 32 of the inner room surface 2 by means of the CAD/CAM system 40 comprises dividing the digital 3D representation of the inner room surface into the digital grid pattern 33 with the suitable number of individual digital pieces 34, 35 corresponding to the individual plates 20 making up the inner room surface and identifying and dimensioning each individual plate digitally to enable the pre-fabrication of each individual plate physically by means of the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow before laying-out the individual plates after manufacture according to the predefined grid pattern in the room 1. In another aspect of this system 10, the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow is adapted to control the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine 50 for manufacturing each plate 20 individually on at least one side 22, 23. In one more aspect, the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow is adapted to control the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine 50 when manufacturing each plate 20 individually on at least either the underside 22 and/or upper side 23 to preform the plate to fit the exposed or upper/top or lower inner wet room surface 2 when it is laid thereon with its underside.
[0057] In one aspect of the system 10, the CAM controlling manufacturing work-flow controls the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine 50 to manufacture each plate 20 individually on an underside 22 and an upper side 23 to preform the plate to fit the exposed or upper or lower room surface 2 onto which it is to be laid with its underside 22 and to fit its upper side 23 into any predefined slope of the finished inner room surface to enable drainage 4 or outflow of water or the like or for compensating for bulging walls or ceilings of room 1. In another aspect of the system 10, the CAM controlling manufacturing workflow is adapted to control the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine 50 when manufacturing each plate 20 individually to accomplish any predefined slopes of the finished inner room surface 2 and making any opening 4, 24 through one or more associated plates as lead-through for any drain and/or water inlet or gully drain in room 1 if required according to the digital 3D representation of the inner room surface. An additional aspect of the system 10 comprises at least one process of packing 60 adapted to pack the pre-fabricated plates 20 in a pre-defined order according to the individual marking of each plate into at least one package 21 or two or more packages into a set 25 of plate packages before lay out of each individual plate of each package 21 in the room 1 according to the pre-defined digital 3D representation 32, 33, 34. System 10 in another aspect comprises at least the transport 70 to deliver the at least one plate package 21 at room 1 before lay out of each individual plate in the room according to the predefined digital 3D representation 32, 33, 34.
[0058] The method according to the invention concerns pre-fabricating and laying out plates 20 for coverage of at least a part of the inner room surface 2 and comprises laying out the points of reference 3 on the inner room surface 2 and performing the 3D scanning 30 of the part of the inner room surface 2 and the points of reference 3 into the plurality of points of measuring 31. The method according to the invention further comprises sending the plurality of points of measuring 31 as data from the 3D scanning to the CAD/CAM system 40 and creating the digital 3D representation 32, 33, 34, 35 of the inner room surface 2 based on the data of the received points of measuring 31 from the 3D scanning 30 by means of the CAD/CAM system 40 and transforming the digital 3D representation 32 into the suitable number of individual digital plates 34, 35 with unique identification and dimensions and the digital CAM controlling manufacturing workflow for physically manufacturing each individual plate 20 accordingly for pre-fabrication and sending the digital CAM controlling manufacturing workflow to the at least one CAD/CAM controlled machine 50 for manufacturing and marking the physical plates 20 individually accordingly, and laying out each individually pre-fabricated plate 20 in the room 1 according to the predefined digital 3D representation 32, 33, 34. Aspects of the inventive method perform corresponding steps as above for the inventive system 10.
NOMENCLATURE
[0059] 1 Room/Space/Site/Stair case and/or stairs for installation of plates 20 [0060] 2 At least a part of the inner room/space surface, such as part of a floor, wall and/or ceiling [0061] 3 Points of reference on the part of the inner room/space [0062] 4 Drain/Drainage/Sewer/Outlets and/or Water pipes/inlets [0063] 5 Operator/User/Installer/Layer/Designer of system/scanner/pre-fabricated plates [0064] 6 Door/Entrance to the room 2. 7 Washbasin. 8 Toilet. 9 Shower/Shower bath or bathtub. [0065] 10 System/Method [0066] 11 Sub-process of system/method with scan 30/digitalization of inner room part 2/plates 20 [0067] 12 Sub-process of system/method showing pre-fabrication of plates 20 [0068] 13 Sub-process of system/method showing packing plates 20 into packages 60, loading packages onto a transport 61, transport 70, unloading of packages 62, moving packages 63 to layout site and unpacking packages 64 at layout site [0069] 14 Sub-process of system/method showing packing plates 20 into packages 60/sets 25 of packages 21 before loading them onto a transport 70 [0070] 15 Sub-process of system/method showing unloaded packages, moving packages 63 to site and unpacking packages 64 at layout site [0071] 20 Plates, e.g. clinker, boards for floors, walls and/or ceilings of gypsum, wood, stone, gypsum, fibreboards or the like suitable for covering floors, walls and ceilings in buildings [0072] 21 Package of plates. 22 Underside of a plate. 23 Upper/Top side of a plate. [0073] 24 Opening/Hole of a plate forming lead-through for drain/drainage/water pipes or the like [0074] 25 Two or more packages 21 of plates 20. 26 First end/side of plate. 27 Second end/side of plate. 28 Third end/side of plate. 29 Fourth end/side of plate. [0075] 30 3D scanner that could be portable and/or even handheld [0076] 31 Points of measuring [0077] 32 Digital 3D representation of the inner room surface 2 working as both a digital and physical map for the forming of the individual plates and their installation on/in the physical space/site [0078] 33 Digital grid pattern created by dividing the digital 3D representation into a suitable number of pieces [0079] 34 Digital pieces of the grid 33 representing the physical plates 20 for manufacture [0080] 35 Digital representations of the physical plates 20 in 3D for CAM manufacture [0081] 40 CAD and CAM system making digital plate representations and enabling the plates to be made physically [0082] 50 CNC machine (subtractive machining) and/or 3D printer (additive manufacture) and/or moulding and/or laminating each plate physically [0083] 60 Packing of plates into one or more packages [0084] 61 Loading plate packages 21 for transport [0085] 62 Unloading plate packages 21 from the transport [0086] 63 Moving/Transporting plate package/-s 21 to plate installation site 1 [0087] 64 Unpacking packages 21 for installation of individual plates 20 [0088] 70 Transport