PRINTING SYSTEM FOR CREATING A CONCRETE SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR A PASSENGER TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a printer device as well as a method for building a printer guide structure of a passenger transport system configured as an escalator or moving walkway in an existing building. The printer device comprises at least one printer guide device, a 3D concrete printer device, which is arranged such that it can be moved along the printer guide device, and a printer controller.

Claims

1. A printer device for building a concrete structure of a passenger transport system configured as an escalator or moving walkway in an existing building the printer device comprising: a printer guide device arranged between two support points of the building provided for supporting the passenger transport system; a 3D concrete printer device which is arranged on and movably guided along said printer guide device and configured to spatially arrange processable concrete, wherein the 3D concrete printer device comprises at least: a printer nozzle, a movement device for moving the printer nozzle, and a printer controller, said printer controller rendering the movement device, the concrete supply through the printer nozzle and movements of the entire 3D concrete printer device controllable along the printer guide device; and a control software executable on the printer controller for carrying out a printing process during the construction of a concrete structure, wherein the printer guide device comprises an adjustment device with which the printer guide device can be adjusted, aligned with and supported by the two support points.

2-14. (canceled)

15. The printer device of claim 1, wherein the printer guide device of the printer device remains in the concrete structure after the printing process as a reinforcement or part of a reinforcement of the concrete structure.

16. The printer device of claim 1, wherein the printer guide device of the printer device is only temporarily arranged between the support points for carrying out the printing process and is removed again after the printing process.

17. The printer device of claim 1, wherein, during the printing process and possibly involving bearing components, a pivot bearing can be formed at one of the two support points and a sliding bearing can be formed at the other support point during the printing process between the concrete structure and the respective support point.

18. The printer device of claim 1, wherein the printing process can produce fastening areas for components of the passenger transport system or guide elements for movable components of the passenger transport system.

19. The printer device of claim 1, wherein said device comprises a reinforcement feed device through which reinforcement material can be fed during the printing process.

20. A method for building a concrete structure of a passenger transport system configured as an escalator or moving walkway, wherein a printer device for three-dimensional concrete printing is introduced in an existing structure by: arranging a printer guide device of the printer device between two support points of the building provided for supporting the passenger transport system; arranging a 3D concrete printer device on this printer guide device, which is guided along the printer guide device between the two support points; and building a concrete structure with this printer device and a printing process wherein said concrete structure extending between the two support points.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, when the printer device is introduced, the printer guide device can be adjusted and aligned with the two support points, which are arranged on different floors by an adjustment device that is part of the printer guide device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein at least part of the printer guide device remains as a reinforcement or part of the reinforcement in the concrete structure by arranging it on the support points of the building before the printing process and the remaining part of the printer guide device is inserted into the concrete structure during the printing process.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the printer guide device of the printer device only remains temporarily between the support points such that it is aligned with the support points when it is arranged in the structure before the printing process and removed again after the printing process.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein, if applicable by bearing components, a pivot bearing is formed on the concrete structure at one of the two support points and a sliding bearing is formed at the other support point during the printing process.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the concrete structure comprises a U-shaped cross section with two side walls and a base and wherein guide elements for movable components of the passenger transport system are formed in the side walls during the printing process.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein fastening areas for components of the passenger transport system are also printed, wherein at least one fastening element is brought into these fastening areas during the printing process.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein reinforcement material is supplied by means of a reinforcement feed device of the printer device during the printing process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Embodiments of the disclosure will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, although neither the drawings nor the description should be construed as limiting the disclosure. The drawings show the following:

[0031] FIG. 1 schematically shows a printer device according to the disclosure with a printer guide device, a 3D concrete printer device and a reinforcement feed device;

[0032] FIG. 2: schematically shows a section of a concrete structure during the printing process with a printer device;

[0033] FIG. 3: schematically shows a printer guide device with a 3D concrete printer device that can be connected to the printer guide device;

[0034] FIG. 4: schematically shows a section of a concrete structure with wires serving as a reinforcement, which were introduced into the concrete mass by a reinforcement feed device of the printer device in accordance with a reinforcement plan;

[0035] FIG. 5: schematically shows a possible embodiment of a nozzle with a reinforcement feed device that feeds reinforcement wires through the nozzle; and

[0036] FIG. 6: schematically shows an addition to the reinforcement feed device shown in FIG. 5 so that reinforcement wires can not only be fed in the longitudinal extension of the concrete structure but also in the longitudinal direction in the processed concrete mass which can connect with other reinforcement wires in the transverse direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a printer device 1, according to the disclosure, with a printer guide device 9, a 3D concrete printing device 15 and a reinforcement feed device 31. Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows two floors E1, E2 of a building 7 arranged on different levels, which are to be connected to one another by a passenger transport system 5. This passenger transport system 5 is shown by means of a dash-dotted line because it has not yet been built. In order to build this passenger transport system 5, a load-bearing structure must be built between these two floors E1, E2. A concrete structure 3 is planned as the load-bearing structure.

[0038] In order to brace this printer guide structure 3 against gravity in the building 7, two support points 11, 13 are provided, which are formed on site on the floors E1, E2 of the building 7 that are arranged one above the other. As FIG. 1 shows, the printer guide device 9 is arranged between the two floors E1, E2 or between the support point 11 of the upper level E2 and the support point 13 of the lower level E1 in order to build the concrete structure 3 of the passenger transport system 5.

[0039] The printer guide device 9 has a support structure 57 on which at least one guide track 53 is formed. The shape of the load-bearing structure 57 in the side view shown in FIG. 1 approximately reflects the later course of the longitudinal extension of the concrete structure 3. For this purpose, the load-bearing structure 57 comprises a first section 59, a second section 61 and a third section 63 which are straight in their longitudinal extension and which can be connected to one another by means of angular segments 97. Depending on the number of angular segments 97 used, the serially connected sections 59, 61, 63 or their central longitudinal axes, not shown, can be set at an angle to one another. In other words, different slopes of the second section 61 can be selected depending on the number of angular segments 97 used. Furthermore, a set of sections 59, 61, 63 of different lengths can also be present in order to use them to construct a printer guide device 9 that is adapted to the conditions on site. In addition to providing the support and guide functions, both the sections 59, 61, 63 and the angular segments 97 thus also represent adjustment means so that the printer guide device 9 can be adjusted and aligned with the two support points 11, 13 that are arranged on different floors E1, E2 and thus be supported at these support points.

[0040] As already mentioned, the printer device 1 also comprises a 3D concrete printer device 15, which is guided on the printer guide device 9 so as to be displaceable along a guide path 55. The 3D concrete printer device 15 can be moved along the guide path 53 by means of a movement device 23.

[0041] The 3D concrete printer device 15 also comprises a printer nozzle 17. The printer nozzle 17 can be connected to a concrete conveyor 73 with processable concrete 19 being able to be fed to the printer nozzle 17 by means of said concrete conveyor 73. Only the hose of this concrete conveyor 73 is shown. It is usually connected to a transport vehicle, for example a truck, which transported the fresh concrete to the construction site. The printer nozzle 17 is also movably guided on the rest of the 3D concrete printer device 15 by means of the movement device 23 which is represented symbolically by the double arrow 101 and the pivoting mechanism 99.

[0042] The reinforcement supply device 31 is also connected to the printer nozzle 17 so that reinforcement parts 33 can be supplied. The printer nozzle 17 shown is described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0043] In order to coordinate the movements of the movement device 23 required for the printing process, the printer device 1 has a printer controller 25. The printer controller 25 executes control commands which are implemented in a control software 27. This control software 27 can be downloaded, for example, from a cloud 75. In this case, the control software 27 contains all movement sequences both of the 3D printer device 15 relative to the printer guide device 9 and the printer nozzle 17 relative to the rest of the 3D printer device 15. Furthermore, the printer controller 25 controls the supply of processable concrete 19 and reinforcement material 33 to the printer nozzle 17 according to the control software 27.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer device 1 is in the middle of the process for building the printer guide structure 3. The part of the concrete structure 3 that has already been built is represented with a solid line while the part of the concrete structure 3 that has not yet been built is shown with a broken line. The part of the concrete structure 3 that has already been built shows the concrete 21 that has already been processed as well as the indicated reinforcement 29 that has already been installed and that was inserted in accordance with the printing process 77 that has already taken place.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the printer device 1. Its printer guide device 9 comprises a support structure 57 and two guide tracks 53, which are connected to the support structure 57 via connection points 71.

[0046] A 3D concrete printer device 15 is movably arranged and guided along the guide tracks 53 by means of a movement device. The 3D concrete printer device 15 is a converted industrial robot which is provided with further parts. These further parts are a printer nozzle 17 and a reinforcement feed device 31. The printer nozzle 17 is, in turn, connected to a concrete conveyor 73.

[0047] In contrast to the previous example in FIG. 1, the reinforcement material 33 is inserted into the processable concrete 19 not in the form of reinforcement wires but instead in the form of reinforcement fibers 103 as shown in the example in FIG. 2. The reinforcement feed device 31 continuously produces the reinforcement material 33 from semi-finished material 79 in the form of reinforcement fibers 103. In the present exemplary embodiment, the semi-finished material 79 is present in the form of wire wound on a wire reel, which is brought through the reinforcement feed device 31 in a suitable length and suitable shape. As shown, the reinforcement fibers 103 can take various shapes. This has the advantage that the shape and length of the reinforcement fibers 103 can be varied depending on the place of use. After the reinforcement material 33 has been cut to length and deformed, it is fed into a propulsion device 81 of the reinforcement supply device 31 and inserted into the soft concrete 21, which is still soft and was applied by the nozzle and/or applied at the right place and with the right propulsion energy. The movement device 23 as well as the 3D printer device 15 and the reinforcement feed device 31 are, in turn, controlled by a printer controller (not shown) and the respective control software.

[0048] The part of the printer guide structure 3 already produced by the printer device 1 comprises a U-shaped cross section 45. This cross section is formed by two side walls 41, 39, which are connected to one another by a base 43. As can be clearly seen, the two guide tracks 53 of the printer guide device 9 are enclosed during the printing process. After the complete construction of the concrete structure 3, the rest of the printer guide device 9, namely the load-bearing structure 57, can be detached by separating the connection points 71 from the concrete structure 3. Thus, part of the printer guide device 9 is part of the reinforcement material 33 of the finished concrete structure 3.

[0049] A particular advantage of printing the concrete structure 3 is that advantageous configurations of the concrete structure 3 can be printed at the same time. On the one hand, these may be free outer shapes of the base 43 and the side walls 39, 41, which can be freely shaped according to the architect's specifications. On the other hand, as shown in the present exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, function-relevant contours, such as the guide elements 74 shown, can also be printed during the printing process. These guide elements 47 serve as guide rails for the step belt or pallet belt (not shown) of the passenger transport system 5 which can be arranged movably within the concrete structure 3. Fastening areas 49 can be printed as well. Fastening elements 51, to which further components of the passenger transport system 3 can be fastened, can be embedded in these fastening areas 49.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a further possible embodiment of the printer device 1. Again, two floors E1, E2 of the building 7 are shown. A support point 11, 13 is formed on each of these floors E1, E2. A printer guide device 9 of the printer device 1 is arranged between the two support points 13, 11. The printer guide device 9 is used to guide a 3D concrete printer device 15, which is part of the printer device 1 and which has already been described in detail in connection with FIG. 2. In contrast to the printer device 1 shown in FIG. 2, the 3D concrete printer device 15 in FIG. 3 is not guided on the printer guide device 9 in an “upright” position but rather in a “hanging” manner.

[0051] The printer guide device 9 comprises three sections 59, 61, 63. The first section 59 comprises a support 85 which is arranged on floor E1. The third section 63 also comprises a support 85, which is supported on the second floor E2 of the building 7. The first section 59 and the third section 63 are connected to one another via articulation points 67 by means of the second section 61. As a result, the difference in height between the floor E1 and the floor E2 can be adjusted on the printer guide device 9 as is symbolically represented by the height dimension Z. As shown by means of the central longitudinal axis of the printer guide device 9, the articulation points 67 enable an angular adjustment a of the second section 61 to the third section 63 and to the first section 59. This support structure of the printer guide device 9, which is formed by the sections 59, 61, 63 and the articulation points 67, supports the two guide tracks 53, which are adjustably fastened to the support structure 57 by means of adjusting brackets 83. Due to their functional characteristics, the adjustment brackets 83, the articulation points 67 and the supports 85 likewise represent adjustment means of the printer guide device 9.

[0052] Furthermore, the printer guide device 9 comprises a holder 69. This holder 69 is used to temporary hold bearing components 35, 37. In this case, the bearing component 35 is a pivot bearing, and the bearing component 37 is a sliding bearing. Having installed the two bearing components 35, 37, the concrete structure 3 (not shown) can move relative to the two floors E1, E2. In order to achieve a good anchoring of the bearing components 35, 37, these comprise holes which serve as connection points 105 to reinforcement parts 33, which can be fed by the reinforcement feed device 31 and inserted into these connection points 105.

[0053] As can be easily seen in FIG. 3, a printer guide device 9 is shown, which is set up before the printing process and can then be completely dismantled after the printer guide structure 3 has been built. Thus, no part of the printer guide device 9 remains as part of a reinforcement in the concrete structure 3 that has been built.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a section of a printer guide structure 3, on the basis of which the insertion of reinforcement parts 33 is to be explained more clearly. The reinforcement 29, which is built into and embedded in the processed concrete 21, consists of differently guided reinforcement wires 87, 89, 91. The reinforcement wires 87 run parallel to the longitudinal extension of the concrete structure 3. In the orthogonal direction to these reinforcement wires 87, further reinforcement wires 89 are arranged in the concrete structure 3, which connect the longitudinal reinforcement wires 87 to one another. In order to be able to absorb shear stresses better, diagonally running reinforcement wires 91 are introduced into the concrete structure 3 during the printing process.

[0055] In order to produce the concrete structure 3 shown in FIG. 4, the 3D concrete printer device 15 shown in FIG. 1 can have a printer nozzle 17, as is shown schematically in FIG. 5. The printer nozzle 17 of FIG. 5 is U-shaped, as a result of which the U-shaped cross section of the printer guide structure 3 is produced. A hose of the concrete conveying device 73 through which processable concrete can be fed to the printer nozzle 17 is connected to the U-shaped printer nozzle 17. The printer nozzle 17 is pivotally supported by two pivot bearings 99 so that it can be pivoted in accordance with the printing process 77 specified by the control software 27 (see FIG. 1).

[0056] As shown by way of example in FIG. 4, the reinforcement wires 87, which are to be installed in the concrete structure 3 parallel to the longitudinal extension, are fed through the printer nozzle 17. These reinforcement wires 87 are fed to the reinforcement feed device 31, which is otherwise not shown, by means of wire guides 93. The reinforcement wires 87 enter the printer nozzle 17 at its front side 107 and, together with the processable concrete mass supplied by the concrete conveying device 73, emerge from the rear side 109 of the printer nozzle 17 and form the concrete structure 3 in accordance with the printing process 77. Due to the U-shaped configuration of the printer nozzle 17, smooth surfaces can be produced on the resulting concrete structure 3 during the printing process 77 so that no reworking of the surfaces is required. However, such a configuration of the printer nozzle 17 limits the design freedom of the surfaces and, in particular, the cross section of the concrete structure 3.

[0057] FIG. 6 schematically shows a possible feed unit 95 for reinforcement wires 89 which are to be arranged orthogonally to the reinforcement wires 87 introduced in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the feed unit 95, for example, periodically rotates about the U-shaped cross section and winds the reinforcement wire 89 around the reinforcement wires 87 introduced in the longitudinal direction.

[0058] Although FIGS. 1 to 6 show different aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of a concrete structure 3 to be built, which is intended to connect floors E1, E2, which are at a vertical distance from one another, it is obvious that the method steps described and a corresponding device are equally suitable for concrete structures to be arranged on one level, for example structures used for moving walkways. In addition, the printer device 1 can have further functional units such as, for example, a device for smoothing surfaces, by means of which the surfaces of the not yet set, processed concrete 21 of the printer guide structure 3 can be worked on.

[0059] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “having,” “comprising,” etc., do not preclude other elements or steps and terms such as “a” or “an” do not preclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be interpreted as delimiting.