Building element lift enhancer
AssigneeConstruction Robotics, LLC
InventorsScott Lawrence Peters, Andrew Walter Beckmann, Glenn Dayton White, Timothy Riley Voorheis, Kimchua Heng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Building Element Lift Enhancer is described. The Building Element Lift Enhancer provides for the movement and precise placement of building elements such as blocks or sheet products by one worker. The Building Element Lift Enhancer senses the force applied by a user to the building element and converts that user applied force to mechanically assisted force from the Building Element Lift Enhancer, allowing the user to precisely move and handle large, heavy or bulky building elements by direct interaction with the building element.
Claims11
A building element lift enhancer, comprising:
- a base having a modular upright section;
- a building element gripper;
- a weatherproof drive housing;
- a boom pivotally connected to the upright section of the base;
- wherein the boom comprises an anti-rotation lock;
- a cable driven by a motor where a distal end of the cable is connected to the building element gripper;
- a force sensor that detects force applied by a user;
- a force amplifier that converts user applied force received by the force sensor to mechanical force applied to the building element gripper to provide for movement of a building element by the building element gripper;
- and
- a microprocessor for controlling force applied to the cable by the drive motor in response to user controls and force sensor feedback;
- wherein the microprocessor is configured to control the building element gripper by providing force balancing of a building element to suspend the building element so as to float at a point in space until such time as a user takes an action to operate the building element lift enhancer;
- and
- wherein the building element gripper has a failsafe actuator comprising a safety cam having an offset that engages with the building element to ensure that the building element will continue to be retained in position with a loss of power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.