EP3793771B1 - Mobile machine tool with suction unit and control method - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a mobile machine tool for machining a workpiece or a space with a working device that is mobile with respect to a surface of the workpiece or space, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a machine tool is, for example, in DE 10 2012 211 635 A1 explained.

Such a mobile machine tool is, for example, a grinding machine, the working tool of which can be a disc tool, for example. The suction of such a machine tool is usually used to extract dusty air, which flows in, for example, via inlet openings on a processing surface of the disc tool and is sucked out of the machine tool using a vacuum cleaner or the like.

The suction power is not always the same, for example because external air flows from the side under the disc tool or because the suction power of the vacuum cleaner varies. For example, the filling level of a vacuum cleaner's dirt collection container affects its suction power or the generation of negative pressure.

It is known that in these cases, for example, external air is specifically adjusted via a slide or other manual valve on a handle of the machine tool, as is the case with one of the applicant's long-neck grinders. However, handling is complicated.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a machine tool that is easier to handle.

To solve the problem, a mobile machine tool according to the technical teaching of claim 1 is provided.

The basic idea is that the intake control, which can also be referred to as an actuating device, dynamically adjusts the valve element, so to speak, while the working tool or the coating tool processes the surface, for example abrasively processes it or coats it. The valve element can be driven or is driven without direct influence from the operator, namely by the intake control.

For example, a valve drive, a spring arrangement or both can be provided to adjust the valve element. However, it is also possible for the valve to have a manually operable operating handle to operate the valve element. The valve element, which is driven by a motor or by the spring arrangement, can also be operated manually.

The manual operating handle can also be used to change the preload of the spring arrangement, for example to adjust the valve to a different working range.

According to the invention, the at least one physical variable comprises an angular position of the working device relative to a substrate. The suction control adjusts the valve member depending on the valve position of the working device relative to the substrate. Thus, for example, if the working device assumes a vertical working position, for example for processing a side wall surface, the valve member has a different position than when processing a surface on the floor or processing a surface of a ceiling surface.

To determine the angular position, the suction control can have a position sensor. The position sensor is used to detect an angular position of the working device to a substrate as the at least one physical quantity. The position sensor can be an acceleration sensor. The acceleration sensor can carry out a three-axis acceleration measurement.

However, it is possible for the valve member to detect the angular position of the working device in relation to the ground itself, or to adjust itself depending on the angular position. For example, the valve member is movably mounted in a valve housing of the valve between at least two valve positions depending on the angular position of the working device in relation to the ground. The valve member automatically assumes the valve positions by adjusting the working device to a respective angular position. The valve member comprises, for example, a ball or another rolling element or rolling body that is movably mounted within the valve housing. Depending on the angular position of the working device and thus of the valve, the valve member moves within the valve housing, for example to open or close a valve passage opening. It is possible for several such valve members to be provided.

The at least one physical quantity can also include a motor power or a motor current of the drive motor. Thus, the at least one physical quantity can also represent an abrasion power or polishing power of a working tool. The suction control is for controlling the Valve or for adjusting the valve element depending on the engine power or the engine current. So if the engine, for example, delivers a higher performance, this can be an indicator of a high abrasion performance, which in turn can be attributed to the fact that the negative pressure in the intake area is high.

The at least one physical quantity can also include a pressure and/or a flow rate of an intake air flow in the intake area. For this purpose, the intake control has, for example, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure and/or a flow sensor for detecting the flow rate.

It is also possible that the valve element is controlled automatically by the pressure or the flow, i.e. that, for example, the valve element is spring-loaded towards a closed position and can be opened by negative pressure or is spring-loaded towards an open position and is closed by negative pressure.

It is preferred if the intake control has a control device for controlling a negative pressure in the intake area depending on the at least one physical variable. The control can, for example, comprise a pressure signal or flow signal from the pressure sensor or flow sensor as an input variable. On the output side, the control device controls, for example, a motorized valve drive in order to actuate the valve member.

Using the valve, the intake control can, for example, adjust or regulate an intake air flow that is sucked in through the intake area when the machine tool is operating. However, it is also possible for the valve to be used to control external air, i.e. for example, external air can flow into the intake area or another negative pressure area that is connected to the intake area in order to adjust the negative pressure or the flow speed. the intake air flow in the intake area, for example to increase or decrease it.

It is entirely possible for the intake device to have at least one additional manually operable valve for influencing the negative pressure and/or the intake air flow in the intake area. The valve is therefore present in addition to the valve that can be operated by the intake control. For example, the operator of the machine tool can use the valve to open or close or partially open an external air inlet. This can, for example, change the working range of the valve that can be operated by the intake control.

The working tool is preferably a plate tool for machining the surface and has a drive motor for driving the plate tool, which has a machining surface assigned to machining a workpiece and a machine side opposite the machining surface, wherein intake air inflow openings are arranged on the machining surface for sucking the machining surface onto the surface to be machined, which are flow-connected to at least one intake air outflow opening arranged away from the machining surface on the plate tool, wherein the plate tool has at least one additional air inflow opening for the inflow of additional air, which is flow-connected to at least one additional air outflow opening arranged away from the machining surface.

The intake device is preferably designed to generate an intake air flow and/or a negative pressure at the at least one intake air outflow opening and the at least one additional air outflow opening.

It is advantageously provided that the intake device has an intake control for controlling the intake air flow and/or the negative pressure in the region of the at least one additional air outflow opening.

The basic idea is that the intake air flow or the negative pressure or both can be adjusted in the area of the additional air outlet opening, so that, for example, the at least one additional air inlet opening can be activated as a further inlet opening in the sense of an inlet opening that sucks the machine tool to the surface and/or in order to change a total suction power of the suction device between the at least one additional air inlet opening and the intake air inlet openings. for example, a greater suction power of the suction device is present in the area of the intake air inlet openings arranged on the processing surface.

Preferably, an abrasive for machining a workpiece or a holding means for releasably holding such an abrasive is arranged on the processing surface. It is possible for both to be provided, namely for a holding means to be present on which an abrasive is held.

The abrasive and/or the holding means expediently has through-flow openings corresponding to the intake air inflow openings, so that air can be sucked in from the front or processing side of the abrasive or the holding means through the through-flow openings into the intake air inflow openings. The holding means for releasably holding the abrasive expediently comprises a Velcro arrangement, for example Velcro hooks, a Velcro felt or the like.

On the machine side of the disc tool there is preferably a holder, for example a projection, a holding pin, a bayonet contour or the like, for fastening to a tool holder of the working device. It is therefore advantageous if the disc tool is arranged detachably on the working device. For example, if the holding means or the grinding means wear out, the disc tool can be replaced.

The tool holder or the disc tool is directly connected to the drive motor, for example in the form of a direct drive, or is motion-coupled, for example by means of a gear and/or an eccentric bearing or the like.

The intake control is expediently designed to control the intake air flow and/or the negative pressure in the area of the at least one intake air outlet opening. It is therefore possible for the negative pressure or intake air flow in the area of the intake air inlet openings to be directly adjustable. For this purpose, for example, a valve is provided which can adjust the negative pressure or intake air flow in the area of the intake air outlet opening.

Furthermore, it is also possible that the intake air flow and/or the negative pressure in the area of the at least one intake air outlet opening cannot be influenced by the intake control or can only be influenced by controlling the intake air flow or the negative pressure in the area of the at least one additional air outlet opening. Thus, the intake power, which is basically available, is indirectly adjusted by adjusting the negative pressure or the intake air flow in the area of the at least one additional air inlet opening.

It is possible that a substantially constant or constant intake air flow or a substantially constant or constant negative pressure is available in the area of the at least one intake air outflow opening. However, it is also possible that by changing the intake air flow or the negative pressure in the area of the at least one additional air outflow opening and thus also changing the flow conditions and/or pressure conditions in the area of the additional air inflow opening or additional air inflow openings, the flow conditions and/or pressure conditions in the area of the intake air inflow openings can be changed, which preferably provide primary suction or main suction of the disk tool and thus of the machine tool.

The suction device has, for example, a vacuum generator for generating a vacuum and/or an intake air flow, which is arranged on the working device, for example on its housing. However, it is also possible, in addition to the vacuum generator already mentioned or as a replacement for it, for the suction device to have a arranged suction connection for a vacuum generator that is separate from the work device or machine tool, in particular spatially distant. This vacuum generator is formed, for example, by a vacuum cleaner. A flexible flow line, for example a suction hose, can be connected to the suction connection. The suction connection can thus be provided, for example, for connecting a suction hose of the vacuum cleaner or vacuum generator. The suction connection is preferably a connection piece or a sleeve.

The intake control preferably has at least one valve for controlling the intake air flow and/or the negative pressure in the region of the at least one intake air outflow opening and/or in the region of the at least one additional air outflow opening, wherein a valve inlet of the valve is connected to the at least one intake air outflow opening and/or the at least one additional air outflow opening and a valve outlet of the valve is connected or can be connected to a negative pressure generator. Thus, the pressure conditions and/or flow conditions in the region of the at least one intake air outflow opening or the at least one additional air outflow opening can be adjusted using the valve without changing the suction power of the negative pressure generator.

The valve is arranged, for example, in a flow channel between the at least one intake air outlet opening or the additional air outlet opening or both and the vacuum generator or the suction connection for the vacuum generator and is thus connected between the respective outlet openings and the vacuum generator. The valve member of the valve member is adjustable between, for example, a blocking position closing the flow channel and a passing position releasing the flow channel and preferably at least one intermediate position between the blocking position and the passing position.

The valve comprises, for example, a control valve, a switching valve, or the like. The valve can be switched between a through position for allowing and a blocking position for blocking a flow connection between the vacuum generator and outlet openings of the plate tool. The valve can also switch between intermediate positions between such a through position and a blocking position or can also not be completely closed and/or completely opened. For example, the valve can be or include a proportional valve.

It is preferably provided that the valve member is mounted in a way that is rotatable and/or displaceable and/or pivotable between the at least two valve positions with respect to a valve housing of the valve. A rotation axis or pivot axis of the valve member can, for example, run parallel to the main flow axis of the valve, but also with a slight inclination to it, for example a maximum of 10° or 15°. It is also possible for the rotation axis or pivot axis of the valve member to run transversely to the main flow axis of the valve, for example at right angles across. A superimposed pivoting-sliding movement of the valve member is easily possible.

The valve member comprises, for example, a cylinder body, on the outer peripheral wall of which at least one recess is arranged. Several recesses can be provided on the peripheral wall, for example at longitudinal and/or angular intervals. To change the flow cross-section of the valve, the peripheral wall and thus the at least one recess on the peripheral wall can be adjusted with respect to a valve housing.

Preferably, the valve has a motorized valve drive and/or a spring arrangement and/or a manually operable operating handle for adjusting the valve member. It goes without saying that combinations are possible, i.e. that, for example, a manually operable valve member is also spring-loaded. A valve that is actually driven by a motor or by a spring arrangement can also be operated manually without any problems.

It is advantageous if the valve member is actuated or can be actuated depending on the angular position of the working device in relation to a substrate. For example, the valve member can be movably mounted in a valve housing of the valve in such a way and be operable by gravity so that it changes the flow cross-section of the valve depending on the angular position of the working device, for example by opening or closing it, reducing or increasing it. The valve element can, for example, open a passage of the valve when working on a ceiling surface, or partially or completely close the passage of the valve when working on a side wall of a room. If a floor surface is to be worked on, the valve can completely close the passage.

Advantageously, a fixing device, for example a latching device and/or a clamping device and/or at least one magnet, is provided for stationary fixing of the valve member in at least one valve position.

The locking device can, for example, comprise locking contours on the valve member, in particular its manual operating handle, and a component that is stationary with respect to the valve housing of the valve. Thus, when the operator actuates the operating handle, the locking contours can engage with one another at predetermined positions.

A clamping device can, for example, comprise or be formed by a spring arrangement or a clamping disk, so that, for example, the valve member is correspondingly stiff.

A magnetic holder can, for example, provide a magnet on the valve member, which realizes a magnetic hold with another magnetic element, for example a magnet or a ferromagnetic component that is stationary with respect to the valve housing.

It is preferred if the valve member can be locked or fixed in predetermined valve positions in which, for example, certain flow conditions or negative pressure distributions between the intake air inlet openings on the one hand and the additional air inlet openings on the other hand can be set. For example, a predetermined position of the valve member can be provided for wall machining by the machine tool, while another position is provided for ceiling or floor processing. For ceiling processing, for example, the valve element is in such a valve position that the flow cross-section of the valve is larger than for wall processing.

This means that, for example, more intake air or negative pressure can be present in the area of the intake air inlet openings. However, it is also possible that the valve element opens up a larger flow cross-section when working on a ceiling, namely when additional air is to flow through additional air inlet openings that are not arranged in the sense of sucking the disc tool to the surface, for example inlet openings arranged on the outer circumference of the disc tool, so that the suction power in the area of the intake air inlet openings is correspondingly lower.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve member is spring-loaded in the direction of a closed position that closes the valve and can be actuated by negative pressure in the direction of its open position. For example, a negative pressure in the area of the at least one additional air outflow opening can open the valve member in the direction of its open position against the force of a spring arrangement that spring-loads the valve member into the closed position. However, it is also possible for a negative pressure on the downstream side to open the valve member, so that a corresponding negative pressure can be generated in the area of, for example, the intake air outflow openings or the additional air outflow openings.

One embodiment of the invention provides that at least one bypass channel connected to the at least one suction air outlet opening is provided past the at least one valve. However, it is also possible that suction air from the at least one suction air outlet opening always leads through the bypass channel or an arrangement of several bypass channels past the valve(s) in the direction of the vacuum generator or a suction connection for the vacuum generator, ie that the valve only Flow conditions or pressure conditions in the area of at least one additional air intake opening.

The additional air inlet openings can be provided in different areas of the disc tool.

One embodiment provides, for example, that the at least one additional air inlet opening comprises or is formed by an additional air inlet opening arranged on the processing surface. Of course, several additional air inlet openings can be arranged on the processing surface. Using the additional air inlet opening on the processing surface, it is possible to directly influence the suction force of the disk tool on the surface to be processed.

It is preferred if the at least one additional air inflow opening or all additional air inflow openings are arranged on a radial outer circumference of the plate tool. The intake air inflow openings are therefore preferably arranged in a central region of the plate tool, while the additional air inflow opening or inflow openings are arranged on the edge region of the plate tool.

At this point, it should be mentioned that the disc tool preferably has a circular or oval circumference. In particular, the disc tool is intended for rotary actuation by the drive motor. However, it is also possible for the disc tool to have a triangular, rectangular or square contour, for example. For example, the disc tool can be intended for a design of the working device as an orbital sander or oscillating sander or for oscillating grinding of the surface. However, a design of the working device as a rotary sander and/or as an eccentric sander is preferred.

It is preferred if the at least one additional air inlet opening is one on an outer circumference of the disk tool, in particular on an outer edge region of the disc tool, between the machine side and the processing surface, comprises or is formed by an additional air inlet opening. Dust and similar other particles from the area surrounding the disc tool can thus be sucked in via the additional air inlet opening on the outer edge area, in particular on the outer peripheral area, of the disc tool. This makes dust-free or low-dust work easier.

It is preferred if the plate tool has an arrangement of inflow openings that runs in a ring around a rotation axis or around a central axis of the plate tool that is orthogonal to the machining surface. The at least one additional air inflow opening and/or the intake air inflow openings form a component of the arrangements of such inflow openings. It is understood that several, in particular concentric, ring arrangements of inflow openings, i.e. additional air inflow openings or intake air inflow openings, can be provided.

The inlet openings of the respective arrangement of inlet openings are expediently arranged at equal angular distances from one another. A ring arrangement of inlet openings, for example, has inlet openings at equal angular distances.

Furthermore, the arrangements of additional air inlet openings and intake air inlet openings are arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation or central axis of the disk tool in a preferred embodiment.

The outflow openings are expediently located on the machine side of the disk tool. For example, at least one intake air outflow opening and/or at least one additional air outflow opening are arranged there.

It is preferred if one or more additional air inlet openings are assigned to an additional air outlet opening. It is also advantageous with respect to a respective intake air outlet opening if one or more intake air inlet openings are assigned to it.

It is also preferred if there are several intake air outflow openings and/or several additional air outflow openings. In particular, these are designed or arranged in ring arrangements. For example, it is advantageous if the plate tool has an arrangement of outflow openings that runs in a ring around an axis of rotation or around a central axis of the plate tool that is orthogonal to the processing surface, wherein the at least one intake air outflow opening and/or the at least one additional air outflow opening forms a component of such an arrangement of inflow openings.

It is also advantageous for ring arrangements of outflow openings if they have outflow openings arranged at equal angular distances from one another. Furthermore, it is also advantageous for these arrangements if the arrangement of additional air outflow openings and the arrangement of intake air outflow openings are concentric with respect to the axis of rotation or central axis of the disk tool. For example, the intake air outflow openings can be radially inward with respect to the axis of rotation or central axis, and the additional air outflow openings radially outward.

The intake device preferably has separate inlets for the additional air outflow opening and the intake air outflow opening or the respective arrangement thereof. For example, the intake device has an intake air inlet assigned to the at least one intake air outflow opening and an additional air inlet assigned to the at least one additional air outflow opening.

The intake air inlet or the additional air inlet or both can have an annular or partially annular geometry. It is possible that one of the inlets is designed as a chamber or inlet chamber around which the respective other inlet extends in an annular or partially annular manner.

The intake air inlet and the additional air inlet are preferably arranged in a ring around a rotation axis of the disc tool or a central axis of the disc tool. Preferably, the additional air inlet and the intake air inlet are concentric with respect to the axis of rotation or central axis.

The intake air inlet and the additional air inlet can be at least partially connected by flow. For example, it is possible that false air flows from one inlet to the other inlet. If the intake capacity of the intake device or the vacuum generator is sufficient, this can be acceptable.

However, it is preferred if the intake air inlet and the additional air inlet are separated from each other in terms of flow by at least one seal, for example a ring seal. The at least one seal expediently runs in a ring shape around the axis of rotation or central axis of the plate tool. The at least one seal preferably lies in the sealing seat or seals against the machine side of the plate tool. Concentric seals are preferred, so that, for example, an annular additional air inlet or intake air inlet is delimited by the seals.

The at least one seal can be, for example, a rubber seal or an elastic seal. The at least one seal can also be, for example, a brush seal.

A preferred concept provides that the at least one seal comprises a radially outer seal and a radially inner seal with respect to a rotational axis or central axis of the plate tool, which are intended and/or designed to rest on the machine side of the plate tool. The two seals delimit an annular chamber running around the rotational axis or central axis of the plate tool and a central chamber enclosed by the annular chamber and fluidically separated from the annular chamber by the radially inner seal. It is possible for the annular chamber to form the additional inlet and the central chamber to form the intake air inlet. However, it is also possible for the annular chamber to form the intake air inlet and the central chamber to form the additional air inlet or to be assigned to this respective inlet.

The machine tool is preferably a working device that is to be operated or grasped manually. One embodiment of the invention can provide that a handle, in particular a rod-shaped handle, is arranged on the working device for gripping by an operator. The handle is preferably pivotably or rotatably mounted on the working device about at least one pivot axis, preferably about at least two pivot axes at an angle to one another. For example, a cardan bearing or a ball bearing can be provided between the handle and the working device.

Another concept provides that the machine tool has a positioning device with at least one positioning drive for positioning the working device transversely to the normal direction of the surface. For example, an electric drive with which the working device moves along the surface can be provided on the working device. For example, a drive roller or a drive wheel can be provided on the working device. It is also advantageous if the working device has at least one holding device that can be fixed in place with respect to the surface and is connected to the working device by means of at least one flexible pulling element. The pulling element can be a rope, a toothed belt or the like, for example. The working device can preferably be positioned using the pulling element. However, it is also possible for the pulling element to only serve to prevent the working device from falling to the ground in an uncontrolled manner. Furthermore, the pulling element can also serve to support the operator in the manual operation of the working device.

It is preferred if a power supply device for supplying power to the working device is arranged on the handle. For example, the drive motor for the working tool can be supplied with power using the power supply device.

The handle is expediently telescopic. Preferably, the handle has a base tube body which engages in an adjustable tube body or engages in an adjustable tube body. Thus, the adjustable tube body is in the base pipe body or vice versa. It is also advantageous if the two pipe bodies can be clamped by means of a clamping device, in particular a clamping clip, in at least two mutually different longitudinal positions that the pipe bodies can have relative to one another. The clamping clip can, for example, comprise a clamping screw, a clamping lever or the like.

It is possible that the section between the power supply device and the working device has a predetermined length and/or is not telescopic. The telescopic section of the handle expediently has a support body for supporting on a body of the operator. A longitudinal position of the support body with respect to the power supply device can be adjusted using the telescopic handle. A longitudinal extension of the support body expediently runs transversely to the longitudinal extension of the handle or the telescopic section of the handle.

The machine tool preferably forms a mobile working device of a surface treatment system for coating and/or abrasively treating a surface of a workpiece or a space. The working device is mobile with respect to the surface.

It is advantageously provided that the surface treatment system has at least one holding device which can be fixed in position with respect to the surface and which is connected to the working device by means of at least one flexible pulling element.

The flexible traction element can be, for example, a rope, a toothed belt or the like. The flexible traction element is suitable, for example, for positioning and/or supporting the working device in relation to the surface to be worked on. For example, the flexible traction element can prevent the working device from falling onto a surface or at least slow it down.

The working tool is preferably a disc tool and/or a grinding tool. For example, the working tool can be a Sanding belt, sanding disc or similar may be provided. The working tool can also be a milling tool or similar other cutting tool.

The drive motor with which the tool holder is driven or can be driven is preferably provided or designed to drive the tool holder in rotation about a rotation axis and/or to drive the tool holder in eccentric rotation. It is possible for the working device to be switchable between an eccentric mode, in which the tool holder and thus the working tool undergo eccentric movements, to a pure rotation mode, in which the working tool only rotates about a rotation axis but has no eccentricity.

The coating tool can be, for example, a spray device for spraying paint. However, the coating tool can also comprise, for example, a roller or similar other application body for applying paint or similar other coatings to the surface of the workpiece or the room.

Instead of or in addition to the tool holder driven by the drive motor or the coating device, the working device can also comprise a cleaning device. The working device can thus form a cleaning device, so to speak. The cleaning device can comprise, for example, a brush arrangement for brushing the surface and/or one or more nozzles for applying a cleaning liquid or the like. It is possible for the cleaning device to be, for example, a high-pressure cleaning device.

The holding device, which can be fixed in place with respect to the surface, is connected to the working device by means of one or more flexible pulling elements, which can be used, for example, to prevent the working device from falling to the floor or to hold it against the wall or other surface. The pulling element can support the suction device, so to speak.

The traction element can, for example, compensate for the weight of the working device. The working device can, for example, be suspended from the traction element. For example, the traction element is spring-loaded by a spring arrangement, so that the spring arrangement compensates for the weight of the working device in whole or in part. The spring arrangement can act directly on the traction element and/or load a winding body in the sense of winding the traction element onto the winding body.

It is preferably provided that the surface treatment system has a positioning device with at least one positioning drive for positioning the working device transversely to the normal direction of the surface.

Preferably, several positioning drives are provided for several degrees of freedom and/or directions of movement.

The at least one positioning drive can, for example, support the operator who otherwise operates the working device manually. The basic idea is that the operator positions the working device transversely to the normal direction, in particular multi-axis or biaxially transversely to the normal direction, with the support of the at least one positioning drive.

At least one positioning drive is advantageously arranged on board the working device. For example, the positioning drive comprises a drive roller driven by a drive motor for rolling on the surface of the workpiece or space to be processed.

Autonomous processing of the surface, for example coating or abrasive processing of the surface, is easily possible using at least one positioning drive. The surface processing system works independently and therefore does not require any direct instructions.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that one or more of the positioning drives are arranged on the holding device and actuate the pulling element. The holding device therefore has the or one positioning drive for the at least one pulling element. This positioning drive of the holding device can be provided in addition to or instead of a positioning drive on board the working device. It is also advantageous if the surface processing system has at least two or at least three, more preferably even at least four pulling elements. It is also advantageous for the holding devices if two, at least three or even four holding devices are provided. The holding devices can be arranged, for example, in corner areas of the surface to be processed, so that the working device can be maneuvered between the holding devices. One pulling element is assigned to each holding device. However, it is also possible for several pulling elements to be held on one holding device. This makes it possible, for example, to achieve a higher pulling force. With several holding devices, for example three or four holding devices and corresponding pulling elements that extend between the holding device and the working device, the working device can be easily maneuvered on the surface of the workpiece or space to be processed.

The working device preferably has several tension member holders for holding at least one tension member, the tension member holders are preferably assigned to different directions of force with which the tension members act on the working device. It is preferred if, for example, the tension member holders are at the same angular distance. The tension member holders can be provided or designed for a fixed, non-detachable or detachable connection between the tension member and the working device.

It is advantageous for the tension member holders if they allow snap-in connections and/or magnetic connections and/or clamp connections and/or hook connections or the like with the respective tension member. For example, snap-in receptacles and/or snap-in projections and/or magnetic holders and/or bayonet contours or the like can be provided on a respective tension member holder, which can be brought into a fixed, preferably detachable connection with corresponding, complementary connecting means at the respective longitudinal end of a tension member. It is of course It is advantageous if the traction element holders allow a respective traction element to be mobile, for example pivotable, with respect to the working device. For example, pivot bearings can be provided on the traction element holders. However, it is also possible for eyelets or similar other receiving contours to be present that allow a range of movement for the respective traction element with respect to the working device.

The at least one positioning drive expediently comprises at least one traction element drive for driving the traction element. The traction element drive can be arranged, for example, on board the working device, on the holding device or the like. It is possible for a traction element drive to be present on both the holding device and the working device. The traction element drives preferably work together.

It is possible for the at least one positioning drive to comprise or be formed by at least one work device drive arranged on board the work device. In the latter configuration, it is possible, for example, for a traction element drive to be supported by the work device drive. However, it is also possible for the traction element drive and the work device drive to be assigned to different directions of movement, for example directions of movement that are at an angle to one another, in particular at right angles. For example, the traction element drive can be provided for forward or backward travel of the work device along the surface to be processed, while the work device drive is provided and/or designed for positioning movements transverse to it.

In principle, it is possible for a tension member that is not active in relation to its direction of force to sag, for example. It is also possible for a tension member to be spring-loaded by a spring arrangement so that it is kept under tension between the holding device on the one hand and the working device on the other.

Preferably, however, a winding device is provided for winding up the traction element. The winding device is preferably motor-driven or spring-loaded. However, the winding device can in principle also be operated manually, for example by having a crank or similar other actuating handle.

It is also advantageous if a positioning drive or the positioning drive, which actuates a respective traction element, is arranged between the working device and the at least one winding device. If, for example, the traction element has a toothed belt or toothed belt section, the positioning drive can precisely influence a respective longitudinal position of the traction element.

Alternatively, it is easily possible to provide the positioning drive on the winding device or to design it as a rotary drive for a winding roll.

It is possible that in the case of a winding body, for example a winding roll, the winding device is provided with a position sensor by the positioning drive for detecting the respective wound or unwound section of the tension member.

For an exact determination of the length or path of a wound or unwound strand of the traction element by measuring the revolutions of a winding body, in particular a winding roll, a determination of the respective winding status is advantageously provided so that the influence of the respective winding diameter on the length of the unwound section of the traction element is recorded when the winding body winding the traction element rotates. For this purpose, an optical sensor, a camera or the like can be provided.

In connection with the unwinding and winding of the tension element, it has already become clear that it is advantageous if the tension element does not sag. It is advantageous if at least one tensioning element, for example a tensioning roller or the like, is present to tension the tension element. The tensioning element is expediently spring-loaded. The tensioning device can be arranged, for example, between the winding device and the working device.

It is also possible for the tensioning element, for example a tensioning roller, to be arranged between a traction element drive and the winding device that winds up and unwinds the traction element. This makes it possible, for example, to wind up and unwind the traction element precisely from a roller or other winding body of the winding device.

Also useful is a tension member guide device with a tension member guide body for guiding the at least one tension member. The tension member guide body can be arranged in a stationary or movable manner on, for example, the holding device. The tension member guide body comprises, for example, a guide eyelet, a guide roller, a guide groove or the like.

The traction element guide body is also advantageously arranged on a joint, for example a ball joint, a swivel joint, a universal joint or the like, wherein the joint movably supports the traction element guide body. The traction element guide body can follow the respective movements of the traction element by means of the articulated mounting. For example, the joint is provided on the at least one holding device. The joint can be provided, for example, on a longitudinal end region of the holding device. It is also possible for the joint to be fixed in place independently of the holding device with respect to the surface to be processed, for example by means of a suction device, a screw connection, a clamp or the like.

The traction element guide body is expediently arranged between a winding device for the traction element and/or a drive for the traction element and the mobile working device. The traction element guide body thus guides the traction element, for example, between the winding device and the working device or the drive for the traction element and the working device.

Various methods are suitable for fixing the holding device in a fixed position. For example, a vacuum clamp or similar other vacuum holding device for fixing the holding device in relation to the room to be worked on. It is preferred that the holding device is braced between opposing surfaces, for example a floor and a ceiling of the room. For example, the holding device can be braced or can be braced in the manner of a rung between the floor and the ceiling.

It is preferred if the holding device is longitudinally adjustable with respect to its longitudinal extent between at least two longitudinal positions in which the longitudinal ends of the holding device are at different distances from one another. The longitudinal ends are then supported, for example, on the floor and ceiling of the room. The holding device can be fixed in the respective longitudinal positions, for example by means of a clamping device, a screw thread or similar other fixing device.

The holding device comprises, for example, a type of stand or support.

The holding device has, for example, a holding base and a support body, which can be secured to one another in at least two longitudinal positions of the support body relative to the holding base with respect to the longitudinal extent of the holding device. For example, the support body is telescopic on or with respect to the holding base. It is understood that several telescopically adjustable components of the holding device can be provided.

The working device expediently has a guide device with at least one guide contour, for example a guide surface, for guiding on the surface of the space or workpiece. The guide contour expediently has a flat shape. The guide contour can, for example, lie in a plane. The guide contour can be an elastic or flexible guide contour. However, it is also possible for the guide contour to be or include a hard, non-flexible contour.

The working tool or the coating tool is expediently mounted so that it can move relative to the guide device. This means that, for example, the guide contour follows the surface, while the working tool or coating tool can follow unevenness of the surface to be processed. It is of course also possible for the plate tool to have a certain degree of flexibility, for example a foam layer that adapts to the respective surface contour of the surface or follows this surface contour.

It is possible that only the working tool or the coating device, in particular the coating tool, is mounted so that it can move relative to the guide device. However, it is also possible that the working device as a whole is mounted so that it can move relative to the guide device. For example, the working device can form a drive unit or a drive head that is mounted so that it can move relative to the guide device.

The movable mounting of the working device or its working tool or coating device with respect to the guide device makes it possible, for example, for the working device, the working tool or the coating device to be mounted on the guide device using a bearing device with respect to the at least one guide contour in a linear and/or pivotable manner, for example pivotable on multiple axes or floating. A floating mounting is to be understood in particular as a multi-axis pivotability. The bearing device mounts the working tool, the coating device or the working device as a whole preferably pivotable about at least one pivot axis that runs transversely to a rotation axis of the working tool or to the force component oriented in the normal direction of the surface. A cardanic or ball-joint mounting is advantageous, for example.

An advantageous bearing concept provides that the bearing device comprises at least one membrane, on which the working tool, the coating device or the working device as a whole is held on the guide device. For example, the membrane is held with its edge area on the guide device and carries the Work tool, the coating device or the work device as a whole.

The movable mounting of the work tool and/or coating device in relation to the guide device also makes it possible to bring them into a kind of parking position, for example, which is useful when the work device is stationary in relation to the surface to be processed, for example for pre-positioning before the actual work process begins or during work breaks. In this case, surface processing, for example coating, abrasive processing or the like, is not possible or useful. Both could lead to damage or destruction of the surface.

A preferred concept therefore provides that the working tool or a coating tool of the coating device can be adjusted with respect to the guide device relative to the guide contour of the same between a working position intended for contact with the surface and a rest position set back relative to the at least one guide contour. In the rest position, the guide contour lies against the surface, while the working tool or coating tool is at a distance from the surface. The rest position is suitable, for example, for pre-positioning the working device on the surface.

It is possible for the working tool or coating tool to be manually adjustable by an operator between the rest position and the working position. The working device preferably has an actuator for adjusting the working tool or coating tool between the rest position and the working position. The actuator can, for example, comprise a lever gear that can be operated manually. However, the actuator is preferably motor-driven, in particular electric-driven. This makes automation possible, among other things.

The working tool or coating tool is loaded by a spring arrangement with respect to the guide device into a working position intended for contact with the surface. The spring arrangement, which comprises one or more springs, in particular coil springs, leaf springs or the like, thus holds the working tool or coating tool in contact with the surface to be processed. It is possible for the aforementioned actuator to actuate the working tool or coating tool into the rest position against the force of the spring arrangement.

The guide device expediently has a guide carrier on which a contact body having at least one guide contour and intended to rest on the surface to be processed, for example a sealing body, a rubber seal, a brush seal or the like, is movably mounted. The guide device can therefore have a so-called stiff or rigid guide carrier on which in turn the work tool, the coating device or the work device as a whole is movably mounted. The contact body is expediently spring-loaded with respect to the guide carrier in the direction of the surface to be processed by a spring arrangement. However, it is also possible for the contact body to be mounted so as to float with respect to the guide carrier, so that it can pivot in multiple axes with respect to the guide carrier. Spring loading is optionally possible in this situation, but not absolutely necessary.

The guide contour expediently surrounds the working device in a ring shape. The guide contour can be an elastic guide contour, but also a fixed one. The guide contour can be formed by one or more contact bodies, in particular plate bodies, sealing bodies or the like.

The guide device expediently has at least one suction area for suction onto the surface to be processed. The suction area can be located, for example, to the side of the work tool or coating tool. The suction area can surround the work tool or coating tool in a ring shape or partially in a ring shape.

However, it is also possible for the working device to be sucked onto the surface to be worked on using the working tool. A suction area on the guide device and another suction area on the working tool or coating tool are easily possible.

The working device is preferably accommodated in a suction housing. The suction housing is designed to suck the material onto the surface. The suction housing can encase or encapsulate the working device as a whole. For example, the aforementioned guide contour for guiding the material onto the surface to be treated is arranged on an edge area or a front side of the suction housing. The suction housing can be designed in the manner of a bell, for example. A vacuum chamber is preferably provided in the suction housing, in which the working device is accommodated.

It is preferred if the surface treatment system has a vacuum generator that is separate from the working device and is connected to the working device by means of a suction hose. The vacuum generator is, for example, a vacuum cleaner. It is advantageous if a control of the surface treatment system is on board the vacuum generator. The vacuum generator can, for example, be arranged in a fixed location in a room, while the working device is mobile and is positioned along the surface to be treated. The control or control device on board the vacuum generator can, for example, control positioning drives on board the working device or on one or more of the holding devices.

It is preferred if the working device has a suction control or a control device or both for setting a negative pressure in a suction area provided for sucking the working device to the surface. For example, the negative pressure generator arranged on board the working device can be controlled or regulated accordingly. For example, a pressure sensor is provided in the suction area.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Oberflächenbearbeitungssystems, welches in einem mindestens eine zu bearbeitende Oberfläche aufweisenden Raum angeordnet ist,

Figur 2

eine Seitenwand des Raumes gemäß Figur 1 an der zwei Halteeinrichtungen sowie die Arbeitsvorrichtung des Oberflächenbearbeitungssystems gemäß Figur 1 in einer Bearbeitungssituation zur Bearbeitung der Wandfläche dargestellt sind,

Figur 3

eine schematische Ansicht von unten auf die Decke des Raumes gemäß Figur 1 mit der die Decke bearbeitenden Arbeitsvorrichtung,

Figur 4

eine schematische Ansicht einer Halteeinrichtung des Oberflächenbearbeitungssystems gemäß vorstehender Figuren mit einem Positionierantrieb und einem flexiblen Zugorgan,

Figur 5

eine Halteeinrichtung des Oberflächenbearbeitungssystems in einer ersten Längsposition,

Figur 6

die Halteeinrichtung gemäß Figur 5 in einer zweiten Längsposition,

Figur 7

eine erste schematische Ansicht einer Wickeleinrichtung des Oberflächenbearbeitungssystems gemäß vorstehender Figuren,

Figur 8

eine weitere Wickeleinrichtung des Oberflächenbearbeitungssystems gemäß vorstehender Figuren,

Figur 9

eine perspektivische Schrägansicht der Arbeitsvorrichtung des Oberflächenbearbeitungssystems, welche in

Figur 10

von oben und in

Figur 11

von unten dargestellt ist,

Figur 12

einen Querschnitt durch die Arbeitsvorrichtung etwa entlang einer Schnittlinie A-A in Figur 10,

Figur 13

einen weiteren Querschnitt durch die Arbeitsvorrichtung gemäß Figur 10 entlang einer Schnittlinie B-B,

Figur 14

ein Ventil zur Steuerung eines Unterdrucks in einem Ansaugbereich der Arbeitsvorrichtung,

Figur 15

eine mobile Werkzeugmaschine mit einem Ventil einer ersten Bauart zur Steuerung eines Ansaugluftstroms,

Figur 16

ein Detail X1 aus Figur 15 mit dem Ventil in einer anderen Ventilstellung,

Figur 17

eine Draufsicht auf die Werkzeugmaschine gemäß der beiden vorstehenden Figuren mit einem teilweisen Ausschnitt,

Figur 18

eine Detailansicht des Ventils der Werkzeugmaschine gemäß der drei vorstehenden Figuren,

Figur 19

einen Schnitt durch die Werkzeugmaschine gemäß der vorherigen Figur etwa entlang einer Schnittlinie S1-S1,

Figur 20

eine Werkzeugmaschine mit einem weiteren Ventil zur Steuerung eines Ansaugluftstroms, die in

Figur 21

im Teilschnitt und mit einer anderen Ansaugsteuerung des Ventils dargestellt ist,

Figur 22

einen Schnitt durch die Werkzeugmaschine gemäß der vorstehenden Figur, etwa entlang einer Schnittlinie S2-S2,

Figur 23

ein Ventilglied des Ventils der Maschine gemäß der vorstehenden Figur.

Figur 24

eine weitere Werkzeugmaschine mit einem Ventil zur Steuerung des Ansaugluftstroms, die in

Figur 25

in einem Teilschnitt in einer ersten Ventilstellung des Ventils und in

Figur 26

den gleichen Teilschnitt, jedoch mit einer anderen Ventilstellung des Ventils dargestellt ist,

Figur 27

einen Schnitt durch die Werkzeugmaschine der drei vorstehenden Figuren, etwa entlang der Schnittlinie des Teilschnitts,

Figur 28

eine perspektivische Schrägansicht der Werkzeugmaschine gemäß Figur 27 mit einem stabförmigen Handgriff, von dem in

Figur 29

ein teleskopierbarer Abschnitt perspektivisch und in

Figur 30

von der Seite her dargestellt ist,

Figur 31

einen Längsschnitt durch die Anordnung gemäß der vorstehenden Figur, etwa entlang einer Schnittlinie S3-S3,

Figur 32

eine Werkzeugmaschine mit einem weiteren Ventil zur Steuerung des Abluftstroms, die in

Figur 33

perspektivisch von oben und im Teilschnitt in einer ersten Ventilstellung des Ventils und in

Figur 34

mit einer zweiten Ventilstellung des Ventils dargestellt ist,

Figur 35

eine Werkzeugmaschine mit einem weiteren Ventil zur Steuerung des Ansaugluftstroms, die in

Figur 36

im Teilschnitt dargestellt ist, wobei das Ventil eine erste Ventilstellung einnimmt,

Figur 37

einen Ausschnitt X1 aus der vorstehenden Figur mit dem Ventil in einer anderen Ventilstellung,

Figur 38

eine Schnittdarstellung etwa entlang der Teilschnittebene in den beiden vorstehenden Figuren, wobei das Ventil eine Durchlassstellung einnimmt und

Figur 39

einen Ausschnitt X3 aus der vorstehenden Figur, wobei das Ventil eine Sperrstellung einnimmt,

Figur 40

eine weitere Arbeitsvorrichtung mit einem lageabhängigen Ventil zur Steuerung des Ansaugluftstroms, und

Figur 41

eine Arbeitsvorrichtung mit einem spanenden Arbeitswerkzeug und einer Beschichtungseinrichtung.

In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the drawing. They show:

Figure 1

a perspective view of a surface treatment system which is arranged in a space having at least one surface to be treated,

Figure 2

a side wall of the room according to Figure 1 on which two holding devices and the working device of the surface treatment system according to Figure 1 shown in a processing situation for processing the wall surface,

Figure 3

a schematic view from below of the ceiling of the room according to Figure 1 with the working device processing the ceiling,

Figure 4

a schematic view of a holding device of the surface treatment system according to the preceding figures with a positioning drive and a flexible pulling element,

Figure 5

a holding device of the surface treatment system in a first longitudinal position,

Figure 6

the holding device according to Figure 5 in a second longitudinal position,

Figure 7

a first schematic view of a winding device of the surface treatment system according to the preceding figures,

Figure 8

another winding device of the surface treatment system according to the above figures,

Figure 9

a perspective oblique view of the working device of the surface treatment system, which in

Figure 10

from above and in

Figure 11

shown from below,

Figure 12

a cross-section through the working device approximately along a section line AA in Figure 10 ,

Figure 13

another cross-section through the working device according to Figure 10 along a section line BB,

Figure 14

a valve for controlling a negative pressure in a suction area of the working device,

Figure 15

a mobile machine tool with a valve of a first type for controlling an intake air flow,

Figure 16

a detail X1 from Figure 15 with the valve in a different valve position,

Figure 17

a plan view of the machine tool according to the two preceding figures with a partial cutout,

Figure 18

a detailed view of the valve of the machine tool according to the three previous figures,

Figure 19

a section through the machine tool according to the previous figure approximately along a section line S1-S1,

Figure 20

a machine tool with another valve for controlling an intake air flow, which in

Figure 21

shown in partial section and with a different intake control of the valve,

Figure 22

a section through the machine tool according to the previous figure, approximately along a section line S2-S2,

Figure 23

a valve member of the valve of the machine according to the previous figure.

Figure 24

another machine tool with a valve for controlling the intake air flow, which in

Figure 25

in a partial section in a first valve position of the valve and in

Figure 26

the same partial section, but with a different valve position of the valve,

Figure 27

a section through the machine tool of the three preceding figures, approximately along the cutting line of the partial section,

Figure 28

a perspective oblique view of the machine tool according to Figure 27 with a rod-shaped handle, from which in

Figure 29

a telescopic section in perspective and in

Figure 30

shown from the side,

Figure 31

a longitudinal section through the arrangement according to the preceding figure, approximately along a section line S3-S3,

Figure 32

a machine tool with another valve for controlling the exhaust air flow, which in

Figure 33

perspective from above and in partial section in a first valve position of the valve and in

Figure 34

with a second valve position of the valve,

Figure 35

a machine tool with another valve for controlling the intake air flow, which in

Figure 36

is shown in partial section, with the valve in a first valve position,

Figure 37

a section X1 from the above figure with the valve in a different valve position,

Figure 38

a sectional view approximately along the partial sectional plane in the two preceding figures, with the valve in a passage position and

Figure 39

a section X3 from the previous figure, with the valve in a blocking position,

Figure 40

a further working device with a position-dependent valve for controlling the intake air flow, and

Figure 41

a working device with a cutting tool and a coating device.

With a surface processing system 10, surfaces of a room RA can be processed, for example a floor surface FB or side wall or wall surfaces FL, FR, FF that are at an angle to one another. However, the surface processing system can also be used to process a ceiling surface FD of a ceiling of the room RA. Even processing the side surfaces FL, FR and FF of the side walls is strenuous for an operator, and processing the ceiling surface FD is even more strenuous. In this situation, the operator must hold a work device 50 with, for example, an operating rod or similar other handle, which is strenuous in the long run and in any case time-consuming.

However, in the surface processing system 10, the processing of the surfaces FL, FR, FF, FD is more obvious.

The working device 50 is namely held on flexible pulling elements 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D and, by means of a negative pressure generated by a negative pressure generator 15, for example a vacuum cleaner 15B, is also sucked onto the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be processed with at least one force component in a normal direction N of the respective surface FL, FR, FF, FD.

The vacuum generator 15 is a vacuum generator that is separate and spatially separated from the working device 50. The vacuum generator 15 is fluidically connected to the working device 50 by means of a flexible suction hose 11. As an alternative or in addition to the vacuum generator 15, a vacuum generator 15C arranged locally on board the working device 50 would also be possible.

The traction elements 30A-30D can only serve as a safety measure to ensure that in the event of a drop in the negative pressure provided by the vacuum generator 15, the working device 50 does not fall to the ground, i.e. falls in the direction of the ground surface FB, but also enable autonomous or semi-autonomous operation, i.e. that the working device 50 can be positioned using the traction elements 30A, 30B, 30C and 30D with respect to the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be processed.

The vacuum generator 15 is, for example, a vacuum cleaner, i.e. it sucks particles that arise when processing a respective surface FL, FR, FF, FD of the room RA into a dirt collection container 16. This makes it possible, for example, to process the surfaces FL, FR, FF, FD with little or no dust. The vacuum generator 15 has a suction unit 17, for example a turbine with an electric drive motor. The suction unit 17, like the dirt collection container 16, is accommodated in a housing 18. The housing 18 can be arranged in a fixed position on the base, for example the surface FB, but can also be freely movable there, for example using rollers 19. The rollers 19 can be non-driven, so that the vacuum generator 15, for example, remains stationary around the room RA or can also be taken along by the working device 50 when it moves along the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be worked on. It is also possible that one or more of the rollers 19 are driven, in particular controlled by a control device 32 explained below, in order to follow the movements of the working device 50.

The tension members 30A-30D are held by holding devices 20A-20D. The holding devices 20 are arranged in a fixed position in the space RA, for example at the respective corner areas of the surfaces FL-FD. In the embodiment shown in the drawing according to Figure 1 For example, the ceiling of the room RA is processed, i.e. the ceiling surface FD. Accordingly, the holding devices 20A-20D are arranged in the respective inner corners, i.e. of the room A, thus in the corner areas of the surface FD, so that a large working area or working space is spanned for the working device 50, in which the working device 50 can be freely positioned, namely by actuating the pulling elements 30A-30D or by at least one positioning drive 340A, 340B on board the working device 50. Positioning drives 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D provided for actuating the pulling elements 30A-30D and the positioning drives 340A, 340B form components of a positioning device 13.

The holding devices 20 can be detachably arranged in the room RA, for example, they can be braced, clamped or the like. The holding devices 20 can be adjusted to suit the spatial conditions of the room RA, i.e., for example, their respective longitudinal ends 23, 24 can be braced between opposite surfaces of the room RA, for example the floor surface FB and the ceiling surface FD.

The holding devices 20 are designed, for example, in the form of rungs, telescopic longitudinal supports or the like. The holding devices have a holding base 21 on which a support body 22 is mounted telescopically. For example, the longitudinal ends 23, 24 can be adjusted to longitudinal positions L1 and L2, where they can then be fixed by a fixing device 25 of the holding device 20. The fixing device 25 has, for example, a fixing base 26 on which a fixing body 26B, for example a clamp or the like, can be adjusted between a fixing position that fixes the support body 22, for example locking or clamping it, and a release position that releases it, for example by means of an adjustment movement or locking actuation LO. In the unlocked or released state of the fixing device 25, the support body 22 can, for example, be longitudinally adjustable, which is indicated by a double arrow or a longitudinal adjustment LV in the drawing. The fixing device 25 can be or comprise a clamping device, ie that, for example, the support body 22 can be adjusted with respect to the holding base 21 by means of a screw thread or similar other clamping means, so that it can clamp the holding device 20, in particular its longitudinal ends 23, 24, between the opposing surfaces FD and FB.

A respective tension member guide device 27A, 27B, 27C and 27D is arranged on a respective holding device 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D in order to guide the tension member 30A-30D. The tension member guide device 27 has, for example, a guide body 28, in particular a guide groove and/or a guide roller, on which the tension member 30 is guided. So that the guide body 28 can follow the movements of the respective tension member 30A-30D, it is preferably movable on a joint 29, movably mounted about at least one pivot axis, preferably about several pivot axes. The joint 29 is preferably a ball joint, a cardan joint or the like.

The positioning drives 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D are arranged on the holding devices 20A-20D, each of which acts on and actuates a pulling element 30A-30D. To transmit a pulling force, a pulling element 30 can be designed as a rope, for example. However, a toothed belt is preferred, the respective length of which can be precisely influenced or adjusted between the guide body 28 and the working device 50.

The positioning drives 40 have drive motors 41 which form traction element drives. The drive motors 41 drive drive rollers, in particular toothed rollers, 42, which rotate about axes of rotation D1. The traction element 30 is guided over the drive roller 42, so that a rotational actuation of the drive roller 42 by the drive motor 41 leads to a longitudinal adjustment of the traction element 30 and thus to a positioning of the working device 50.

The traction element drives 41 are arranged between the guide bodies 28 on the one hand and a winding body 43 of a winding device 45 on the other. The winding device 45 winds up, for example, a section or strand of the traction element 30 that is not required. The winding body 43 is preferably spring-loaded by a spring arrangement 44, for example by a torsion spring. Of course, the angle body 33, for example a winding roll or a winding drum, can be driven by a drive motor in order to wind up the section of the traction element 30 between the traction element drive 41 and the angle body 43. The winding body 43 rotates, for example, about a rotation axis D2.

A speed sensor 46 is preferably provided to determine the length of that section of the pulling element 30 that is adjusted by the pulling element drive 41 in the direction of the winding device 45, i.e. the section with which the positioning drive 40 pulls on the working device 50. The speed sensor 46 can, for example, form a component of the drive motor of the pulling element drive, i.e. measure the revolutions of the drive motor. It is also possible for the speed sensor 46 to be arranged directly on the pulling element 30, for example, where it measures or records the respective longitudinal adjustment of the pulling element 30 optically, using a drive roller and the like.

Based on the speed information from the speed sensor 46 or basically length information about the traction element 30, the control device 32 mentioned can, for example, control the positioning drives 40A-40D. The control device 32 can comprise or be a control device arranged on board the vacuum generator 15 and/or on board the working device 50.

It is also possible for the control device to be made up of several parts, i.e. that parts of its components are arranged on board the vacuum generator and others on board the working device 50. These parts of the respective control device can communicate with each other.

However, the control device 32 can also be or comprise a control device that can be positioned separately from, for example, the vacuum generator 15 in the space RA, as schematically indicated in the drawing.

For example, the control device 32 comprises a computer. The control device 32 preferably comprises input means 33, in particular a keyboard, a mouse, a touch-sensitive screen or the like, and output means 34, for example a screen, signal lights or the like, other optical output means and/or acoustic output means, for example a voice output, a loudspeaker or the like. The control device 32 also comprises a processor 35 for executing program codes of programs, for example a control program 37, which is stored in a memory 36 of the control device 32. The control program 37 can be loaded from the memory 36 into the processor 35.

The control device 32 communicates with the positioning drives 40A-40D via communication connections 38A-38D, for example control lines and/or wireless connections, for example WLAN or the like. Wired communication connections 38A-38D can, for example, be bundled in sections to form a collective line or collective communication connection 38.

In this way, the control device 32 can, for example, control the positioning drives 40A-40D in such a way that it can control the working device 50 between several positions with respect to the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be processed. For example, the pulling elements 30A-30D pull the working device 50 along the ceiling surface FD, for example Positions P1 and P2 are shown in the drawing. It is easily possible for the working device 50 to be moved into the corner areas towards the respective guide bodies 28 of the holding devices 20 and also along or to the edge areas of the ceiling surface FD. If, for example, the pulling elements 30D, 30C between the working device 50 and the guide bodies 28 of the holding devices 20D, 20C are particularly long, the working device 50 can be moved, for example, at the edge area of the surface FD between the holding devices 20A, 20B in order to work on the surface FD.

The working device 50 is freely movable on the surfaces FL, FR, FF, FD of the space RA. For example, the suction hose 11, which connects the working device 50 to the vacuum generator 15, can follow the movements of the working device 50. An electrical supply line 12, which is preferably provided between the vacuum generator 15 and the working device 50, is also correspondingly flexible and follows the movements of the working device 50 on the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be worked on. The supply line 12 can be guided in or on the suction hose 11, for example form a component thereof. The supply line 12 is connected, for example, to an electrical connection 52A of the working device 50. The supply line 12 supplies the working device 50 with electrical energy. For example, a power supply device 804A can be on board the vacuum cleaner 15, which supplies the working device 50, for example an electronically commutated motor thereof, with electrical energy via the supply line 12.

The vacuum generator 15 can be connected to a power supply network, for example an alternating voltage network, via an electrical connection cable 14, which for example has a plug. The power supply network is available, for example, in room RA via a socket into which the connection cable 14 or its plug can be plugged.

For positioning the working device 50 with respect to a side wall, for example the wall surface FL, it is advantageous if also in several Corner areas, for example in the upper and lower corner areas, of the surface FL, a traction element acts on the working device 50 via a stationary traction element guide device. Now a configuration would be possible in which, for example, the holding devices 20C, 20D are arranged in the opposite direction with respect to their horizontal position in the space RA, so that their respective guide bodies 28 are arranged in the area of the floor or the floor surface FB close to the wall surface FL to be worked on. For example, one of the holding devices 20C, 20D can be arranged next to the holding devices 20A and 20B, the positioning drives 40 of which can then pull on the working device 50 from below using a traction element 30.

However, an advantageous concept is provided when a second positioning drive, for example a positioning drive 40U, is arranged on a respective holding device 20, for example the holding devices 20A, 20B. The positioning drive 40U acts on the working device 50 via a pulling element 130A, 130B when the latter is active on a side wall surface FL, FR, FF. For example, the positioning drives 40U also comprise the same or similar components as the positioning drives 40, so that, for example, a pulling element drive 41U acts on the pulling element 130 using a drive roller 42U, which can be wound onto a winding body 43U downstream of the pulling element drive 41U. The winding body 43U forms a component of a winding device 45U and is spring-loaded, for example, by means of a spring arrangement 44U in the sense of winding up the tension member 130 or is driven by a drive motor not shown in the drawing. The respective length of the tension member 130 unwound or adjusted by the tension member drive 41U can be detected by means of a speed sensor 46U.

The positioning drives have, for example, communication interfaces 47, 47U, in particular network interfaces (LAN, WLAN or the like), for communication with the control device 32 via the communication connections 38. The communication interfaces 47 can also, for example, Bluetooth interfaces or include them. An interface 39 of the control device 32 is designed for communication with the communication interface 47, thus includes, for example, a LAN, WLAN, Bluetooth interface or the like.

The positioning drives 40, 40U are held or arranged, for example, on a carrier 48 or a housing 48 which is fixed in place on the holding base 21 of a respective holding device 20.

Instead of a positioning drive 40, 40U, a positioning drive 140 can also be used. The positioning drive 140 comprises a drive motor 141, which serves to drive a drive roller 142. The drive roller 142 is arranged between an angle body 143, a winding device 145 and a guide body 28. A respective length of the section of the traction element 30 actuated by the drive motor 141 can be detected, for example, by a speed sensor 146, an encoder, which is arranged between the drive roller 142 and the guide device 27.

It is advantageous if a section of the tension member 30 is tensioned between the drive roller 142 and the winding device 145, for example by means of a tensioning device 149. The tensioning device 149 comprises a tensioning member 148, for example a tensioning roller, over which the tension member 30 runs. The section of the tension member 30 running between the drive roller 142 and the winding body 143 of the winding device 145 is thus kept under tension. This optimizes, among other things, the winding onto the winding member, the winding body 143.

The winding body 143 can also be driven by a spring arrangement. In the present case, a winding drive 144, for example an electric motor, is provided. The winding drive 144 can be controlled, in particular regulated, based on the course of the tension member 30 between the tension member 147 and the winding body 143, for example to keep the tension member 30 under tension in this area.

A guide device is preferably provided for guiding the pulling element 30 onto the winding body 143. This is illustrated in the drawing using the example of a winding body 243 and a guide device 248.

A positioning drive 240 provides that its winding device 245 simultaneously forms the positioning drive or the pulling drive for the pulling element 30. The pulling element 30 runs from a drive roller 242 past a speed sensor 246 to the guide body 248A of the pulling element guide device 248. The speed sensor 246 measures the length of the pulling element 30 unwound or wound onto the winding device 245 and thus the travel of the working device 50 when the pulling element 30 is actuated by the positioning drive 240.

The winding device 245 has a winding drive 244, which at the same time represents the traction element drive 241. The traction element drive 241 or winding drive 244 comprises, for example, an electric motor which can be controlled by the control device 32 via a communication interface 247.

The guide device 248 comprises, for example, a carriage or traction element guide body 248A, which is guided on a guide 248B. The guide 248B is, for example, a linear guide that runs parallel to a rotation axis D2 about which the winding body 243 rotates. The traction element guide body 248A therefore makes an oscillating back and forth movement along the linear guide 248B, so that the traction element 30 is optimally wound onto and unwound from the winding 243A.

It is possible that the control device 32 also controls the guide device 248 for the traction element 30. It is also possible that the winding device 245 has a local control for the guide device 248 or that this guide device 248 functions automatically, so to speak, ie that it automatically follows the movement of the traction element 30 and ensures that a roll 243A of the traction element 30 wound on the winding body 243 is wound precisely.

It is also possible to position the work device 50 with respect to the workpiece surface or spatial surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be machined using a positioning drive located on board the work device 50. For example, positioning drives 340A, 340B can be provided on the work device 50, which have drive motors, for example work device drives 341A, 341B. The work device drives 341A, 341B drive, for example, wheels or drive rollers 342, which can roll along the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be machined. The work device drives 341A, 341B are assigned to different directions of movement or axes of movement, for example at an angle to one another, in particular at right angles. Thus, for example, the control device 32 can also control the positioning drives 340A, 340B for positioning the working device 50 with respect to the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be machined.

The working device 50 comprises a machine tool 51. The machine tool 51 can also be understood as a working device 50. The working device 50 or machine tool 51 comprises a drive unit 52 with a drive motor 53. A stator 54 of the drive motor 53 is arranged stationary with respect to a carrier 60 of the drive unit 52. A rotor 55 of the drive motor 53 rotates about a motor rotation axis DM.

The drive motor 53 drives a tool holder 58 on which a working tool 90A, for example a disk tool 90, can be arranged or is arranged.

An output 56 of the rotor 55, on which a gearwheel is arranged, for example, drives an eccentric 57, in particular a drive 57B, e.g. a gearwheel, of the eccentric 57. The eccentric 57 has the tool holder 58 for the plate tool 90. The tool holder 58 is arranged on a pivot bearing 59 of the eccentric 57, so that the tool holder 58 can rotate about a tool rotation axis DW. The tool rotation axis DW and the motor rotation axis MD have an eccentricity EX to each other. Thus, the plate tool 90 carries eccentrically about the motor rotation axis DM and in a hypercycloid movement around the tool rotation axis DW. This allows the plate tool 90 to run smoothly, which facilitates manual operation of the working device 50, but also the operation using the positioning drives 40.

The carrier 60 has a cover wall 61 which covers the plate tool 90 at least on the upper side, preferably also on its outer circumference 93.

A motor mount 62, in which the drive motor 53 is accommodated, protrudes in front of the cover wall 61. On its side facing away from the disk tool 90, the drive motor 53 has a fan 63 with which a cooling air flow that passes through the drive motor 53 can be generated.

The cooling air flow KL can flow out via a suction connection 71 of a suction device 70 of the working device 50. The suction hose 11, for example, is connected to the suction connection 71.

The plate tool 90 has a processing surface 91 for processing one of the surfaces FL, FR, FF, FD of the space RA, whereby of course another surface, for example a wooden workpiece or a metal workpiece, can also be processed with the processing surface 91. Abrasives, polishing agents or the like can be arranged directly on the processing surface 91. In the present case, an adhesive layer 98 is provided on which an abrasive 99 is detachably held, for example a sanding sheet. The adhesive layer comprises, for example, Velcro, Velcro hooks, etc.

The processing surface 91 is in the present case a flat surface, but can also have, for example, a depression or similar other contour.

The plate tool 90 has a machine side 92, wherein the machine side 92 and the machining surface 91 are facing away from each other or are arranged on opposite sides of the plate tool 90.

The machine side 92 is provided on a plate tool carrier 100 and faces the cover wall 61 of the carrier 60. On the plate tool carrier 100, which is essentially rigid, for example made of a suitably resilient plastic material, an elastic layer 101, for example a so-called grinding pad or carrier pad, is arranged. The processing surface 91 is arranged on the side of the layer 101 facing away from the plate tool carrier 100.

Intake air inlet openings 94 are provided on the processing surface 91 and are flow-connected to intake air outlet openings 95 on the machine side 92. For example, flow channels pass through the layer 100 and the plate tool carrier 101. Intake air AL can flow into the intake air inlet openings 94 through the intake air inlet openings 94. The intake air AL is shown in the drawing with hatched arrows.

The intake air AL serves to suck the plate tool 90 and thus also the working device 50 to the workpiece surface to be machined.

The intake air inflow openings 94 are provided in a ring shape on the processing surface 91. For example, several, in particular at least two, in this case four, concentric ring arrangements 94A, 94B, 94C, 94D of intake air inflow openings 94 are provided.

The intake air inlet openings 94 extend in a ring shape around the central axis of the plate tool 90, which in this case corresponds to the tool rotation axis DW.

The intake air outlet openings 95 are also arranged in a ring around the tool rotation axis DW. It is possible that several ring arrangements of intake air outlet openings 95 are provided, in particular concentric with one another. In the drawing, a single ring arrangement of intake air outlet openings 95 is usually shown.

The plate tool 90 is also provided with additional air inlet openings 96 through which additional air ZL can flow into the plate tool 90. The additional air ZL is symbolically shown in the drawing with white arrows. The additional air inlet openings 96 are connected to additional air outlet openings 97 on the Machine side 92 of the plate tool 90 is flow-connected, for example by means of unspecified flow channels which penetrate the adhesive layer 98, the elastic layer 101 and the plate tool carrier 100.

In principle, it is possible for the additional air ZL to also ensure that the plate tool 90 is sucked onto the surface FL, FR, FF, FD to be machined. For example, additional air inlet openings 196 are provided on a plate tool 190 for this purpose.

In the case of the plate tool 90, however, the additional air inflow openings 96 are arranged on its outer circumference 93. The additional air inflow openings 96 are thus oriented radially outward with respect to the central axis, in this case the tool rotation axis DW, of the plate tool 90. The additional air ZL can thus convey particles, dust or the like from the surroundings of the plate tool 90 in the direction of the plate tool 90 and flow out through the additional air outflow openings 97.

The intake device 70 has an intake air inlet 72 which is assigned to the intake air outflow openings 95 and is fluidly connected thereto. The intake device 70 also comprises an additional air inlet 73 which is fluidly connected to the additional air outflow openings 97.

The intake air inlet 72 is delimited by a seal 74, for example a ring seal, which rests on the machine side 92 of the disk tool 90. The seal 74 is designed as a ring seal, just like a seal 75, with the seal 75 lying radially outward with respect to the seal 74. Thus, an annular chamber is delimited between the seals 74, 75, which defines the additional air inlet 73. The radially outer seal 75 seals the additional air inlet 73 against atmospheric pressure.

The intake air inlet 72 is, so to speak, a central intake chamber that is located in the interior of the seal 74. The intake air inlet 72 communicates directly with the suction connection 71 and thus with the vacuum generator 15 via a bypass channel 76.

The additional air inlet 73 communicates with the suction connection 71 via a valve 85, whose valve member 86 is adjustable between at least two, preferably several valve positions.

The valve 85 forms part of an intake control 80 or can be controlled by it. The valve member 86 is adjustable within a valve housing 87 of the valve 85, for example pivotable about a pivot axis SW1. Using the valve member 86, a valve passage 88 on the valve housing 87 can be opened or closed, with intermediate positions also being possible. On the input side, the valve 85 communicates with the additional air inflow openings 96, namely with the additional air inlet 73. The valve passage 88 and thus the outlet of the valve 85 is fluidly connected to the suction connection 71. Thus, depending on the valve position of the valve member 86, more or less intake air is sucked in from the additional air outflow openings 97 and transported away via the suction connection 71.

The valve member 86 has a cylinder jacket-like peripheral wall 86A, which can move past the inner circumference of a likewise cylindrical peripheral wall 87A of the valve housing 87. The peripheral walls 86A, 87A essentially lie against one another in a sealing manner. A seal 88A is arranged between an end face of the peripheral wall 86A and the cover wall 61 of the carrier 60, which in this respect forms part of the valve housing 87. The seal 88A simultaneously acts as a clamping device 88B for clamping the valve member 86 in a respective valve position.

The peripheral wall 86A projects from a top wall or bottom wall 86B of the valve member 86. The peripheral wall 87A of the valve housing 87 extends between the top wall 86B and the top wall 61 of the carrier. Thus, the valve member 87 is sandwiched between the top walls 61, 86B.

A pivot bearing 86C is provided for mounting the valve member 86 with respect to the valve housing 87. For example, a bearing projection 86D protrudes from the cover wall 61 and engages in a bearing receptacle 86E of the valve member 86. A fastening element 86G, for example a screw, serves to secure the valve member 86 to the bearing projection 86D. The fastening element 86G preferably creates a preload of the valve member 86 in the direction of the seal 88A. The fastening element 86G extends, for example, parallel to the pivot axis SW1.

On the side facing away from the interior of the valve 85, the valve member 86 has an actuating handle 86F which serves to be gripped by an operator.

The actuating handle is simultaneously designed as an index element which can be adjusted, for example, in the direction of markings 89A-89D which indicate the respective valve position of the valve 85.

One or more of the markings 89A-89D can, for example, have locking projections 89E with which the valve member 86, in particular the actuating handle 86F, can be locked, for example with a locking lug or a locking projection 89F on its free end region. For example, the locking projections 89E can be provided in pairs at at least one of the markings 89A-89D, so that the actuating handle 86F can lock between the locking projections 89E.

The markings 89A, 89D correspond, for example, to a through position and a blocking position of the valve 85. The markings 89B, 89C indicate a mixing ratio of intake air flowing through the additional air inlet openings 96 and intake air flowing through the intake air inlet openings 94, which is optimally suited, for example, for side wall processing (marking 89B) or for ceiling processing (marking 89C). When processing the ceiling, for example the ceiling surface FD, as little additional air as possible is sucked in so that the suction power or suction force in the normal direction N, which can be generated by the intake air through the intake air inlet openings 94, is as high as possible.

A working device 50A and its plate tool 90 essentially correspond to the working device 50, whereby instead of the valve 85 a valve 185 is provided. The valve 185 forms, for example, a component of an intake control 180 or can be controlled by it. The valve 185 serves to control the negative pressure in the area of the additional air outflow openings 97, but pivots about a pivot axis SW2 which is transverse to the flow direction of the intake air flow that flows through the suction connection 71. A valve member 186 of the valve 185 is preferably arranged below the suction connection 71. The valve member 186 has, for example, a partially cylindrical peripheral wall 186A which extends between end walls 186B, 186C. The end walls 186B, 186C are, so to speak, the bottom and top sides of the imaginary cylinder of the valve member 186. On the end walls 186A, 186B, for example, bearing projections 186D are arranged, which engage in corresponding receptacles of the valve housing 187 and enable the pivoting bearing of the valve member 186 about the pivot axis SW2.

An actuating handle 186F protrudes in front of the end wall 186B, for example an operating lever or operating projection, with which the operator can adjust the valve member 186 so that a valve passage 188 provided on the peripheral wall 186, i.e. an interruption of the peripheral wall 186 over a predetermined angular segment, can be brought into a passage position at which the outlet of the additional air inlet 73, i.e. for example an opening between the seals 74, 75, is open. However, if the peripheral wall 186A closes this opening 189.

In a schematically illustrated working device 50B, a valve 285 is provided instead of the valve 85 or 185. The valve 285 has a valve member 286 which can be manually operated using an actuating handle 286f. The actuating handle 286F is arranged on the valve member 286 of the valve 285. The valve member 286 has a plate-shaped wall body 286A. The wall body 286 has a partial ring shape so that it can close or open an opening on the cover wall 61 which is also partially ring-shaped and which defines a valve passage 288 of the valve 285.

The valve passage 288 extends within a valve housing 287 of the valve 285. The valve housing 287 has side walls 287A which are Cover wall 61 protrude and are closed by a cover wall 287B. The suction connection 71 is arranged on the cover wall 287B. Furthermore, the valve housing 287 communicates with the intake air outlet openings 95, which are arranged in the interior of a peripheral wall 287C of the valve housing 287. In the interior delimited by the peripheral wall 287C, which so to speak defines the intake air inlet 72, the drive motor 53, for example, is arranged (shown schematically).

The actuating handle 286F can, for example, engage in a guide recess 289, which is, for example, a type of extension of the valve passage 288, with a clamping section or latching section not visible in the drawing, in order to latch, clamp or the like the valve member 286 in relation to the valve housing 287, in this case the cover wall 61, in one or more valve positions. The clamping section or latching section can, for example, engage in the guide recess 289 and be in a rear grip with it.

The guide recess 289 and the valve passage 288 extend in a ring shape around a pivot axis SW3, around which the valve member 286 can pivot. The valve member 286 is adjusted around the pivot axis SW3 in a kind of sliding movement along the valve passage 288. The pivot axis SW3 and the motor rotation axis DM are preferably coaxial.

A valve 385 of a working device 50C essentially corresponds to the valve 285. Similar components are therefore provided with reference numbers that are 100 larger than the valve 286. If identical components are present, they are provided with the same reference numbers.

A valve member 386 of the valve 385 closes a valve passage 388 which, like the valve passage 388, extends in an arc or ring shape around the pivot axis SW3. However, an actuating handle 386F for manually actuating the valve member 386 is not guided on the valve passage 388, but on a separate guide 385G. The guide 386G also extends like the valve passages 288, 388 in a ring shape around the pivot axis SW3. Using the separate guide 386G, any clamping devices, locking devices or the like for clamping or locking the actuating handle 386B and thus the valve member 386 in predetermined valve positions can be implemented.

The valve 385 preferably comprises a valve drive 82, for example a drive motor 382, which is in driving engagement with, for example, the cover wall 61 or another component that is stationary with respect to the carrier 60. For example, the drive motor 382 can have a pinion on its output that engages with a toothing that is stationary on the carrier 60. For manual actuation of the valve 385, for example, the pinion can be brought out of engagement with the toothing or the drive motor 382 can run with little resistance. Decoupling of a valve drive for manual actuation of a valve is therefore possible within the scope of the invention.

A working device 50D is constructed similarly to the working device 50B, 50C and has a valve 485 instead of the valves 285, 385. The valve 485 has a valve housing 487 which is constructed similarly to the valve housing 287 and accordingly has the same reference numbers in the drawing. A valve passage 488 of the valve 485 communicates with the additional air inlet 73 and can be closed by a valve member 486.

The valve member 486 has a wall-like or plate-like shape, for example a plate body 486A, which is pivotable about a pivot axis SW4 between a passage position DS, in which the valve passage 488 is fluidly connected to the suction connection, and a closed position SS, in which the valve passage 488 is closed.

Due to the negative pressure present at the suction connection 71, the valve member 486 is acted upon with force in the direction of its passage position DS and can be actuated into its closed position SS by an actuating device with an actuating element 486B.

Instead of or in addition to the actuating element 468B, a spring 468K can also be provided, which urges the valve member 486 into its closed position SS. In this case, the valve 485 operates in a pressure-controlled manner, i.e. when the negative pressure at the suction connection 71 is greater than the spring force of the spring 468K, the valve 485 opens so that the negative pressure in the suction area or on the processing surface 91 of the plate tool 90 drops because, so to speak, external air can flow through the additional air inlet openings 96.

The actuating element 486B is pivotally mounted on the valve housing 487, for example on one of the side walls 487. The actuating element 486B comprises, for example, a pivoting lever, the free end region of which can act on the valve member 486 in order to adjust it to the closed position SS. The actuating element 486 therefore has, for example, a lever-like shape or a lever.

Connected to the actuating element 486B is an actuating handle 486F, for example a pivot lever, which is arranged on an outside of the valve housing 487, for example also on one of the side walls 487A or 487B. The actuating handle 486B comprises, for example, an actuating lever that can be grasped by the operator. The actuating handle 486F can be locked by means of a locking device 486H in various locking positions that correspond to valve positions of the valve 485, for example the positions DS or SS, for example in the open position and/or the blocking position and preferably one or more valve positions in between. The locking device 486H has, for example, locking projections 486I with which the actuating lever 486G can be locked. The locking projections 486I protrude in front of one of the side walls 487A.

A so-called automatic, at least position-dependent valve 585 of the working device 50E has a valve member 586 in the form of a rolling body, in particular a ball or the like. The valve member 586 is accommodated in a valve housing 587 of the valve 585 in a freely movable manner. The valve housing 587 has, for example, a peripheral wall or side walls 587A, which narrow or are oriented towards one another, so to speak, towards an outlet 587B of the valve housing 587. Thus, the valve housing 587 is narrower in the area of the outlet 587B than in the area of one or more valve passages 588, which are provided on a wall 588A, which so to speak closes the additional air inlet 73. Air flowing through the additional air inlet 73 can therefore flow through one or more of the valve passages 588 to the outlet 587B, which in turn is fluidly connected to the suction connection 71.

When the working device 50 assumes an overhead position, for example when working on the ceiling surface FD, the valve member 386 moves away from the valve passage 588 into a position that closes the outlet 587B, which is indicated in the drawing with a continuous line of the valve member 586. Air flowing through the additional air inlet openings 96, which represents false air, so to speak, can therefore no longer reach the suction connection 71, whereby the suction force in the area of the intake air inlet openings 94 is increased. However, if the working device 50 assumes a vertical orientation, for example, i.e. the processing surface 91 runs vertically, the valve member 586 can move away from the outlet 587B, for example by sliding or rolling along a slope of the side walls 587A, so that the outlet 587B is free and thus supply air or false air can flow in via the additional air inlet openings 96.

The drawing further indicates that the valve member 586 can also reach a position closing at least one valve passage 588 (shown in dashed lines).

In the embodiment of the plate tool 190, it is also indicated that an additional air inlet opening 196 can also be arranged on the processing surface 91, so that the valve 585 can be used, for example, directly to influence the air flow flowing over the processing surface 91 or the negative pressure prevailing there.

In addition to the so-called automatically functioning concepts of negative pressure control through manually operated valves or through position-dependent valves (585), servomotor or controlled concepts are also possible:
For example, the intake control 80 comprises a control device 81. The control device 81 can, for example, control the motorized valve drive 82, in particular a servo motor. The valve drive 82 can, for example, directly drive one of the valve members 86, 186, 286, 386 or 486.

The valve drive 82 may also include, for example, a magnetic drive 582, for example an electrical coil, to actuate the valve member 586 into one or more valve positions.

The intake control 80 can control the valve drive 82 based on sensor signals from one or more sensors of a sensor arrangement 83, for example based on a position sensor 83A, whose output signal indicates an angular position of the working device 50 in relation to a substrate, for example the surface FD. A motor sensor 83B in turn is, for example, a current sensor or comprises a current sensor, whose output signal or sensor signal indicates, for example, a power of the drive motor 53. Depending on the suction of the working device 50 onto the surface to be processed, the friction of the processing surface 91 on the surface to be processed changes, whereby the drive power of the drive motor 53 and thus its motor current also changes, which can be detected by the motor sensor 83B. The control device 81 can then, for example, control the motor valve drive 82 when the motor power is increased in the sense of a reduction in the negative pressure in the intake area and when the motor power is decreasing in the sense of an increase in the negative pressure.

However, a direct pressure measurement or flow measurement is also possible, namely using the pressure sensor 83C and/or the flow sensor 83D. For example, the pressure sensor 83C is arranged in the negative pressure area or suction area and directly measures the negative pressure with which the plate tool 90 and thus the working device 50 is sucked onto the surface to be processed.

For example, a force sensor 83F, 83G is possible, e.g. a strain gauge or the like, which measures the pressure force with which the contact body 65B and/or the plate tool 90 presses against the surface to be processed. The force sensor 83G can be provided, for example, on the drive train, for example on a bearing, of the work device 50. If the contact force of the contact body 65B becomes too great, the intake control 80, in particular the control device 81, can, for example, control the valve drive 82 in order to reduce the negative pressure, or, if the contact force is too low, in order to increase the contact force.

The working devices 50, 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D, 50E, 50F can be intended for manual operation, i.e. operation guided by an operator. However, it is also possible for them to be used in conjunction with the positioning device 13 for a type of robot operation.

For example, the working device 50 is described below in an installed position in a housing 64, which can be actuated by the positioning device 13. The supports 60 of the other working devices 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D, 50E, 50F can also be actuated by the pulling elements 30 and preferably also be accommodated in the housing 64.

It can be seen that the working device 50 can be used autonomously or manually. However, the traction elements 30 can also act directly on it. In the present case, however, the working device 50 is designed such that the carrier 60 including all components held thereon, namely the drive unit 52 and the disk tool 90 / working tool 90A, are accommodated in a housing 64. The housing 64 forms an intake housing 64A, the interior 64E of which forms a vacuum chamber, so to speak. The housing 64 has a peripheral wall 64B, which is covered by a cover wall 64C. The cover wall 64C has a dome or a hood 64D, in which a flow channel or a flow chamber is formed for the cooling air KL, which flows out of the drive motor 53 or its fan 63. The cooling air KL can be sucked out via a suction connection 64F, to which, for example, the suction hose 1 can be directly connected. The suction connection 64F communicates fluidically with the suction connection 71 of the drive unit 52, which is arranged in the interior 64E, so that air flowing out of the suction connection 71, which represents an exhaust air nozzle, can be sucked out via the suction connection 64F.

Tension element holders 67 are provided on the housing 64, to which the tension elements 30A-30D can be detachably secured, for example, by being connected in a latching manner using a latch arrangement, by being connected to a magnetic holder or the like. Thus, the tension elements 30 can be easily detached from the holders 67 by an operator or easily attached to the operator, but then have a firm hold so that the tensile forces of the positioning device 13 or the positioning drives 40 can be transferred to the working device 50.

The brackets 67 are provided at equal angular intervals, for example of 90° each, on the housing 64 so that the tensile forces of the tension members 30 can be optimally transmitted to the housing 64.

The housing 64 also carries a guide device 65, which serves to guide the surface FL, FR, FF or FD to be machined. The guide device 65 comprises a guide carrier 65A, which is attached to the housing 64 or forms an integral part of the housing 64. The guide carrier 65A supports at least one contact body 65B, for example an annular contact body 65B or an arrangement of several contact bodies arranged in a ring shape, which extend around the work tool 90A. The guide carriers 65A have guide contours 65C, for example guide surfaces, which preferably lie in the same plane as the processing surface. 91 when the machine tool 51 rests against one of the surfaces FL-FD, as shown schematically in the drawing. The contact body 65B preferably comprises a seal, in particular a sealing ring, which delimits a suction area 65G of the housing 64. The plate tool 90 or working tool 90A is arranged within the suction area 65G.

It can be seen that not only the plate tool 90, but also the entire housing 64 is sucked onto the surface of the workpiece or the space to be machined. However, the working device 50 is guided primarily via the contact body 65B with respect to the surface to be machined.

The contact body 65B is mounted so that it can move relative to the guide carrier 65A and is spring-loaded by springs 65D in the direction of a contact position in which the guide contours 65C rest against the surface to be machined. The springs 65D, like the contact body 65B, are accommodated in a spring chamber 65E, where they can move linearly in the normal direction relative to the machining surface 91 or in the normal direction relative to the guide contour or guide surface 65C, and preferably also pivotally transverse to this direction. The contact body 65B is preferably mounted on the guide carrier 65A so that it can move linearly not only parallel to the motor rotation axis DM or tool rotation axis DW, but also transversely thereto about at least one pivot axis. The contact body 65B is therefore mounted floating in the spring chamber or bearing holder 65E.

Preferably, the plate tool 90 is flexible with respect to the surface to be machined, for example due to the elastic layer 101. An optimal adaptation to the contour of the surface to be machined is further improved by the fact that the drive unit 52 is movably mounted with respect to the guide device 65 by means of a bearing device 66.

The bearing device 66 comprises, for example, a membrane 66A which is fixed in place with respect to the housing 64, namely, for example, sandwiched between holding sections 66B, 66C which are on the one hand supported by the housing 64, namely its peripheral wall 64B, on the other hand, by a valve carrier 64H. The valve carrier 64H extends in a ring shape around the working tool 90A and is accommodated, so to speak, like a sandwich between the guide device 65, in particular the guide carrier 65A, and the peripheral wall 64B.

The membrane 66A thus enables a floating, multi-axis pivoting movement of the drive unit 52 with respect to the housing 64 or the guide device 65, so that the working tool 90A can easily follow a surface contour of the surface to be machined. In addition, the working tool 90A is linearly adjustable with respect to the guide device 65, namely parallel to the tool rotation axis DW.

Instead of the membrane 66A, pivot bearings, in particular cardanic pivot bearings, and/or sliding bearings can also be provided.

Preferably, the drive unit 52 and thus the work tool 90A is spring-loaded into a contact position in which it is in contact with the workpiece surface to be machined, for which purpose a spring arrangement 69 is provided, for example. The spring arrangement 69 comprises an arrangement of one or more springs 69A, which are supported on the one hand on the housing 64 or the carrier 60, and on the other hand on the membrane 66A, namely by means of spring holders 69B, 69C. The spring holders 69C are arranged on the membrane 66A, the spring holders 69B are stationary with respect to the guide device 65, namely stationary with respect to the housing 64. Since the housing 64 is stationary with respect to the guide device 65, the spring holders 69B support the springs 69A, the bearing device 66 and thus the drive unit 52 held thereon with respect to the guide device 65.

The bearing device 66 also enables the working tool 90A to be moved from the working position shown in the drawing, in which the working tool 90A is in contact with the surface to be machined, to a rest position away from it. For this purpose, actuators 68, for example servo motors or the like. The actuators 68 have drive elements 68A, for example levers, rollers or the like, with which they act on transmission elements 68B, for example pulling elements, pulling cables, rod-like elements or the like. The transmission elements 68B are connected to the drive elements 68A and the drive unit 52, namely to the membrane 66A, which in turn are connected to the drive unit 52. The transmission elements 68B thus pull the membrane 66A away from the guide contour 65C, so to speak, in order to adjust the working tool 90A to the rest position. The rest position is advantageous, for example, when the working tool 90A is not needed, in particular when pre-positioning before the actual surface treatment. As a result, the plate tool 90 cannot cause any damage, so to speak, but is inactive or held in the rest position until the actual surface treatment begins.

Preferably, the actuator(s) 68 act on the membrane 66A or the drive unit 52 at at least two opposite locations or at several locations at equal angular distances from one another.

It is possible to use the valves 85-585 to set a basic suction force with which the plate tool 90 is sucked onto the surface to be processed. However, it is also possible for the valves 85-585 to be opened completely. In both scenarios, the suction force control or negative pressure control explained below can be used to advantage:
Additional air flowing through the additional air inlet openings 96 can be influenced not only on the machine side 92 of the plate tool 90, but also from the outside, so to speak.

Valves 685 are arranged on the housing 64, in particular the valve carrier 64H, of the working device 50. The valves 685 have valve passages 688, which are arranged, for example, on a wall 687 of the valve carrier 64B. The wall 687 extends in a ring shape next to the peripheral wall 64B of the Intake housing 64A and forms a type of step. Preferably, several valve passages 688 are provided on the wall 687, spaced apart from one another, in particular spaced apart at an angle. The valve passages 688 have, for example, an annular shape and thus follow the outer circumferential contour of the circumferential wall 64B. The valve passages 688 are fluidically connected to an annular space 689 that extends around the working tool 90A. The annular space 689 is also open to the additional air inflow openings 96 on the radial outer circumference of the working tool 90A, so that air flowing in via the valve passages 688 can reach the additional air inflow openings 96, thus reducing the suction force in the area of the intake air inflow openings 94. False air is then sucked in via the suction connection 71 or 64F, namely through the valve openings 688 and the additional air inlet openings 96.

The valves 685 have valve members 686. The valve members 686 are plate-like and have a support layer 686A on which a sealing layer 686B is arranged. The sealing layer 686B faces the wall 687 and is suitable for sealingly closing the respective valve passage 688.

The valve member 686 is movably mounted on bearing projections 686C, 686D which protrude in front of the wall 687. For example, the bearing projections 686C, 686D are bolts, screws or the like along which the valve member 686 can slide and/or pivot.

In a closed position SS, the valve member 686 closes the valve passage 688, while in a passage position DS of the valve member 686 it is released.

For example, a linear adjustment of the valve member 686 with respect to the longitudinal axes of the bearing projections 686C, 686D is possible. In the present case, however, a pivoting movement of the valve member 686 on one of the bearing projections 686C, 686D is desired. The pivoting movement is triggered or enabled, for example, by springs 686F, 686G, which are attached to the bearing projections 686C, 686D and supported on support projections 686H thereof and the valve member 686, are preloaded to different degrees or to different degrees. For example, the spring 686F has a smaller spring force than the spring 686G because it is less preloaded.

The springs 686F, 686G load the valve member 686 into the closed position SS. The valve member 686 can be adjusted into its open position DS by means of negative pressure in the intake area 64G. If the atmospheric pressure is greater than the negative pressure in the intake area 64G by a predetermined amount, it acts on the valve member 686 in the sense of opening the valve 685. Thus, a kind of automatic negative pressure control is realized by a spring arrangement.

In addition, the operator can also allow external air or additional air to flow into the intake area 64B via valves 685M. The valves 685M comprise valve passages 688B, which are arranged on the radial outer circumference of the valve carrier 64H. The valve passages 688 are fluidically connected to the intake area 64G and can be closed by at least one valve member 686M. The valve member 686M is, for example, an annular body, in particular with a plate shape, which can be pivoted about an axis of rotation parallel to the motor axis of rotation MD. A plurality of actuating handles 686H, for example actuating projections, are arranged on the valve member 686M, so that the operator can adjust the valve member 686M between a passage position that releases the valve passages 688B and a closing position that closes them, and preferably one or more valve positions in between, by actuating one of the actuating handles 686H.

The working devices 50, 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D, 50E, 50F can be adjusted with respect to the surfaces to be processed by the positioning device 13. However, operation with a handle is also possible, which will become clearer below.

A rod-shaped handle 800 is preferably pivotably connected to the working device 50, 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D, 50E, 50F. For example, a pivot joint 801 is provided which pivotably mounts the handle 800 with respect to a pivot axis SQ which runs transversely to a longitudinal axis LL of the handle 800. Further pivotability about a further pivot axis which runs transversely to the pivot axis SQ, for example, is realized by a pivot joint 801 which is only indicated schematically in the drawing. The pivot joints 801, 802 together form a cardanic pivot joint.

A fixed rod section 803 of the handle 800 extends from the swivel joint 801 along the longitudinal axis LL. At the longitudinal end region of the rod section 803 remote from the working device 50, a power supply device 804 is provided for powering, for example, the drive motor 53. At this point, it should also be mentioned that the drive motor 53 is preferably an electronically or electrically commutated drive motor.

The power supply device 804 is arranged between the rod section 803 and a telescopic section 805 of the handle 800. The telescopic section 805 comprises a base tube body 806, which is firmly connected to the power supply device 803. An adjustable tube body 807 is mounted on the base tube body 806 so that it can move with respect to the longitudinal axis LL. For example, the adjustable tube body 807 engages in an interior of the base tube body 806.

At the free end area of the adjustable tubular body there is a support body 808, which preferably extends transversely to the longitudinal axis LL. The support body 808 is suitable, for example, as a support for supporting the operator's body, for example as a type of shoulder rest or the like. This makes the handle 800 extremely ergonomic to use.

The adjusting tube body 807 is adjustable with respect to the base tube body 806 along an adjustment path which is limited by longitudinal stops 809, 810 which are arranged on the base tube body 806 and the adjusting tube body 807, respectively.

In a respective longitudinal position of the adjustable tubular body 807 in relation to the base tubular body 806, the latter can be fixed using a fixing device 811. The fixing device 811 comprises, for example, a holder which is attached to the base tubular body 806 in the manner of a sleeve or clamp, for example using radially protruding holding projections 815 which are screwed together, clamped or the like. The holder 812 has a clamp 813 which can be adjusted using an actuating handle 814, for example a clamping screw, a clamping lever or the like, between a position which clamps or fixes the adjustable tubular body 807 in relation to the base tubular body 806 and a release position which releases the latter in relation to the base tubular body 806 and is thus adjustable.

The working device 50F should be understood as an example that a coating device or a working device suitable for machining a workpiece surface, for example a surface, can also be actuated and positioned using the positioning device 13.

The working device 50F has a coating device 980 with coating heads 981A, 981B as coating tools 981. The coating heads 981A, 981B are designed to coat a surface to be processed or coated, ie they can, for example, apply a coating fluid, in particular a color liquid, color particles, to the surface. The coating fluid is held in storage containers 983A, 983B of the working device 50F and/or is supplied to the working device 50F via flexible lines from a stationary device, for example a storage container on the vacuum cleaner 15B. For example, the storage containers 983A, 983B can hold paint or other coating fluid, which can flow via lines 982A, 982B to the coating heads 981A, 981B in order to coat the surface to be treated, for example to color it and/or to provide it with a protective layer or the like.

Furthermore, the coating device 980 can also comprise, for example, an erasing device 985, in particular an erasing head, with which at least parts of the coating applied by means of the coating heads 981A, 981B can be erased again.

The erasing device 985 or the erasing head as well as the coating tools 981 or coating heads 981A, 981B are connected or can be connected to the control device 32 via communication lines 984, for example. Instead of a communication line 984, a wireless connection, for example a radio connection, from and to the control device 32 can of course also be provided. The control device 932 can, for example, control the application of paint or other similar coating by the coating tools 981 or coating heads 981A, 981B via the communication lines 984, or also cause or control erasing by the erasing device 985, which for example comprises an erasing device, a grinding head or the like.

The coating device 980 is arranged on a support body 990, in particular a plate-like support body. The support body 990 has, for example, a base body 998 on which a processing surface 991, for example a support surface for support on the surface to be processed, is provided. The processing surface 991 is provided, for example, on a sliding body or a sliding layer 999, which is arranged on the front side of the base body 998.

The coating heads 981A, 981B and the erasing head 985 are arranged, for example, on cavities of the base body 998 that are recessed behind the processing surface 991.

For example, the additional air inlet openings 96 already explained, the intake air inlet openings 94 and the like can be arranged on the base body 998, which communicate, for example, with the additional air inlet 73 already explained and the intake inlet 72. An intake control is possible, for example, using the valve 585, so that the processing surfaces 991 how the previously explained processing surfaces 91 can be optimally sucked onto the surface to be processed.

All of the aforementioned embodiments in connection with the working devices 50-50E are therefore also possible with the working device 50F in relation to the suction control or vacuum control on the processing surface 991, which in this respect is or forms a support surface.

Furthermore, the working device 50F can comprise or form a machine tool 951. This can be provided as an alternative or in addition to the coating device 980.

The machine tool 951 comprises a drive motor 953, which drives a tool holder 958 via a tool shaft 956. A working tool 90F, for example a milling head, is arranged or can be arranged on the tool holder 958.

The machining surface 991 forms, for example, a guide contour 965C of a guide device 965.

The milling head or other working tool 90F can permanently protrude in front of the processing surface 991 or guide contour 965C or can advantageously be adjustable using an actuator 994 between a position that protrudes further in front of the processing surface 991 or guide contour 965C (shown in dashed lines) and a working position or depth adjustment position that protrudes less far in front of the processing surface 951 or guide contour 965C, in particular even retracted behind the processing surface 991. The working tool 90F can thus penetrate more or less deeply into the workpiece to be processed. In particular during positioning by the positioning device 13, in which the working tool 90F is not processing the surface to be processed or is inactive, it is possible that the working tool 90F is moved back behind the guide contour 965C so that it is not in contact with the workpiece.

The actuator 954 and the drive motor 953 are connected or connectable via communication connections 955, for example communication lines or wireless connections, to the control device 32, which controls the drive motor 953 and the actuator 954 according to the workpiece surface to be machined.

In the same way, it is also fundamentally possible for the coating tool 981 and/or the extinguishing device 985 to be adjustable to a position that protrudes further in front of the guide contour 965C or to a position that is adjusted back to it, in particular behind it, by arranging actuators 986 on the coating tools 981 and/or the extinguishing device 985. The actuators 986 can be controlled wirelessly or by wire by the control device 32 (not shown).

Further embodiments are described in connection with Figure 12 indicated. For example, cutting tools and/or a coating device can also be held on the housing 64 in a floating and/or movable manner relative to the guide device 65, in particular to the guide contour 65C, e.g. by means of the bearing device 66.

For example, instead of the disk work tool 90, a milling head or similar other cutting work tool can also be driven by the drive motor 53. For example, a tool holder 58F can be provided directly on the drive motor 53 instead of the connection to the eccentric 57, to which the work tool 90F, for example a milling head, drill or the like, can be directly attached. The actuator 954 already explained and shown schematically in the drawing can be provided for adjusting the work tool 90F relative to the carrier 60.

Alternatively or additionally, at least one coating tool 981 can be arranged on the carrier 60. The coating tool 981, for example one of the coating heads 981A and/or 981B, can be fixed to the carrier 60 be arranged or be movably adjustable by means of an actuator 986 between a position that protrudes further in front of the guide contour 65C or a position that is further back from the guide contour 65C, in particular behind the guide contour 65C.

Claims (12)

1. A mobile machine tool for processing a workpiece or a room (RA) comprising a working device (50) which is mobile with respect to a surface (FL, FR, FF, FD) of the workpiece or room (RA), which working device comprises a tool receptacle (58) for a work tool (90A, 90F) driven or drivable by a drive motor (53), particularly for abrasive processing of the surface (FL, FR, FF, FD) and/or a coating device (980) having a coating tool (981) for coating the surface (FL, FR, FF, FD), wherein the working device (50) comprises a suction device (70) for suctioning the working device (50) onto the surface by means of at least one force component oriented in a normal direction (N) to the surface (FL-FD), wherein the suction device (70) has at least one valve (85) for controlling an intake air flow and/or a negative pressure in a suction region of the working device (50) for suctioning onto the surface (FL-FD), and wherein the at least one valve (85) has a valve member (86) which is adjustable between at least two valve positions in which a flow cross-section of the valve (85) is different, wherein the suction device (70) comprises a suction controller (80) for adjusting the valve member (86) during operation of the work tool (90A, 90F) or the coating device (980) between its valve positions depending on at least one physical variable, characterized in that the at least one physical variable comprises an angular position of the working device (50) relative to an underlying surface and the suction controller (80) adjusts the valve member (86) depending on the angular position of the working device (50) relative to the underlying surface.
2. The machine tool (51) according to claim 1, characterized in that the suction controller (80) comprises a motorized valve drive and/or a spring arrangement for adjusting the valve member (86).
3. The machine tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the valve (85) comprises a manually operable operating handle for adjusting the valve member (86).
4. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction controller (80) comprises a position sensor (83A) for detecting an angular position of the working device (50) relative to an underlying surface as the at least one physical variable.
5. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve member (86) is mounted in a valve housing (87) of the valve (85) for movement between at least two valve positions depending on an angular position of the working device (50) relative to an underlying surface, wherein the valve member (86) independently takes the valve positions by moving the working device (50) into a respective angular position.
6. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one physical variable comprises a motor output or motor current of the drive motor (53).
7. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction controller (80) comprises a motor sensor (83B), particularly a current sensor, for detecting the motor output or motor current.
8. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one physical variable comprises a pressure and/or a flow rate of an intake air flow in the suction region.
9. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction controller (80) comprises a pressure sensor (83C) for detecting the pressure and/or a flow sensor (83D) for detecting the flow rate.
10. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction controller (80) comprises at least one force sensor (83F) for detecting the pressing force as the at least one physical variable of the work tool (90A, 90F) or a guide contour onto the surface to be processed.
11. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction controller (80) comprises a regulating device for regulating a negative pressure in the suction region depending on the at least one physical variable.
12. The machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction device (70) comprises at least one other manually operable valve (685M) for influencing the negative pressure and/or the intake air flow in the suction region.

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