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US 10,538,417 B1Granted
Construction beam robot
AssigneeRevolutioNice Inc.
InventorsSreenivas Raman, Elie Cherbaka, Ryan J. Giovacchini, Brian Jennings, Thomas C. Slater
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A construction beam robot, such as for steel erection, comprises a pair of thrust producing fans located at either end of a beam to be installed. The fans' thrust and direction of thrust is controlled and/or coordinated by a computer with custom control software. By altering the direction and amount of thrust, the orientation of the beam is controlled. Workers on site who possess a controller are able to rotate or fix the orientation of a beam from a distance and do so wirelessly.
Claims12
A construction robot for positioning a beam using a crane comprising:
- a first fan unit comprising:
- a first fan;
- a first cable attachment mechanism;
- and
- a first beam latch mechanism;
- a second fan unit comprising:
- a second fan;
- a second cable attachment mechanism;
- and
- a second beam latch mechanism;
- and
- a controller operationally connected to the first fan and the second fan, wherein:
- the first cable attachment mechanism is configured to serve as an attachment point for a first portion of a crane cable;
- the second cable attachment mechanism is configured to serve as an attachment point for a second portion of the crane cable;
- the first beam latch mechanism is configured to grasp a first portion of the beam adjacent a first end of the beam;
- the second beam latch mechanism is configured to grasp a second portion of the beam adjacent a second end of the beam that is spaced apart from the first end of the beam;
- and
- the controller is configured to operate the first fan and the second fan to adjust an orientation of the beam while the crane is lifting the beam via the crane cable.
15 more elements
A construction robot comprising:
- a first fan having a first thrust and comprising a first beam latch mechanism configured to grasp a first portion of a beam adjacent a first end of the beam;
- a second fan having a second thrust and having a second beam latch mechanism configured to grasp a second portion of the beam adjacent a second end of the beam;
- a crane from which to suspend the beam, the crane comprising at least one crane cable that includes a first crane cable end and a second crane cable end;
- and
- a controller operationally connected to the fans, wherein:
- the first fan provides a first attachment point for the first crane cable end;
- the second fan provides a second attachment point for the second crane cable end;
- the controller is configured to operate the first fan and the second fan to adjust an orientation of the beam while the crane is lifting the beam via the at least one crane cable;
- and
- the construction robot is configured to:
- grasp the first end of the beam using the first beam latch mechanism;
- grasp the second end of the beam using the second beam latch mechanism;
- use the crane to lift the beam from an initial position to a final beam position;
- and
- operate the first fan and the second fan to maintain the beam in a desired orientation as the crane lifts the beam from the initial position to the final beam position.
12 more elements
A construction beam positioning system comprising:
- a crane;
- a crane cable;
- a first fan unit comprising:
- a first fan;
- a first cable attachment mechanism attached to the crane cable;
- and
- a first beam latch mechanism;
- a second fan unit comprising:
- a second fan;
- a second cable attachment mechanism attached to the crane cable;
- and
- a second beam latch mechanism;
- and
- a controller configured to control operation of the first fan and the second fan, wherein the construction beam positioning system is configured to lift a beam from an initial position to a final beam position by:
- grasping a first end of the beam using the first beam latch mechanism;
- grasping a second end of the beam using the second beam latch mechanism;
- using the crane to lift the beam from the initial position to the final beam position via the crane cable;
- and
- while the crane is lifting the beam from the initial position to the final beam position via the crane cable, using the controller to cause the first fan and the second fan to produce thrust to maintain the beam in a desired orientation.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.