JP2022032238A - Air compressor, external terminal device, computer program and system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an air compressor which can promote an effective use of an air compressor, an external terminal device, a computer program and a system.SOLUTION: An air compressor (1) comprises: a motor; a compression mechanism driven by the motor and generating compressed air; a tank (8) for storing the compressed air which is generated by the compression mechanism; and a pressure acquisition part for acquiring the internal pressure of the tank. A control part for controlling the air compressor is constituted so as to display a display body for charging a display form according to a magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank which is acquired by the pressure acquisition part within a prescribed region of a display screen of a display device arranged at a compressor main body of the air compressor, or an external terminal device arranged so as to be communicative with the air compressor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an air compressor, an external terminal device, a computer program and a system.

At work sites such as construction sites, pneumatic tools using compressed air as driving energy are widely used for performing operations such as cutting, nailing, and screwing. As a pneumatic tool, an air driver and a nailer for driving fasteners such as staples, pins, screws, and nails are known. An air compressor supplies compressed air to such a pneumatic tool.

Generally, the air compressor is configured such that the rotational motion of the motor is converted into the reciprocating motion of the piston in the cylinder via the crank shaft, and the reciprocating motion of the piston compresses the air sucked from the intake valve of the cylinder. The compressed air compressed in the cylinder is discharged from the exhaust valve of the cylinder to the tank through a pipe and stored in the tank.

Such air compressors may be brought to the construction site for use. For example, an air compressor may be placed near a lower floor or a temporary power supply, and work may be performed using a pneumatic tool on the upper floor or the like. In such a case, the air compressor may be installed at a place several meters to a dozen meters away from the place where the worker actually works. When working under different conditions depending on the work piece, changing the operation mode of the air compressor, restarting operation, etc., the worker interrupts the work on site and the air compressor is installed. There was a problem that the air compressor could not be operated unless it was moved to a certain place.

In order to solve such a problem, Patent Document 1 describes a technique of providing an operation unit capable of remotely operating an air compressor from a main body unit. The operation unit receives the internal pressure information transmitted from the main body unit, and displays an air pressure indicator indicating the internal pressure by a needle. The user presses the ON button to start the motor of the air compressor when the internal pressure drops, and turns it off to stop the motor of the air compressor when the internal pressure becomes sufficiently high. Press the button.

Patent Document 2 describes a management method for managing a plurality of air compressors by a computer at a remote location. The computer receives the operation information of the air compressor and displays it.

Patent Document 3 describes a configuration of a general air compressor.

JP-A-2018-194005 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-12079 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-17556

However, the inventors of the present application have provided the air compressor with a remote control function, but the type and work content of the pneumatic tool to which the air compressor is connected (hereinafter, the type of pneumatic tool, etc.). I noticed that the contents of the work including the work time, fasteners and screws, and the type of workpiece to which they are driven are not effectively utilized according to the "work contents, etc."). For example, even if the air compressor is configured to be able to operate in multiple operation modes and one of the remote control functions has a function to select the operation mode, it is uniformly only in the high output mode regardless of the work content. There are many users who choose. In the high output mode, air shortage during work is unlikely to occur, but the load on the air compressor is high, which deteriorates the product life of the air compressor. In addition, the operating efficiency is low. On the other hand, the high output mode is not always necessary depending on the work content.

The air compressor described in Patent Document 1 merely displays the internal pressure as information for starting and stopping the motor. In order to start or stop the motor according to the level of the internal pressure, the start button and stop button of the air compressor are only displayed together with the internal pressure, so the function of the air compressor is effective according to the work content etc. It does not provide the technology to utilize it. The techniques described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 also do not provide techniques for promoting effective utilization of the air compressor.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an air compressor, an external terminal device, a computer program and a system capable of promoting effective utilization of the air compressor.

The present disclosure comprises a motor, a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air, a control unit for controlling the motor, and a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism. Provided is an air compressor including a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring the internal pressure of the tank. Further, a control unit for controlling the air compressor is provided. The control unit measures the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit within a predetermined area of the display screen of the display device provided on the compressor body of the air compressor or the display screen of the external terminal device provided so as to be able to communicate with the air compressor. It is configured to transmit information for displaying a display body whose display form changes according to its size. The display form of the display body may be any of a display area, a shape, or a color of the display body. The display form of the display body may be changed by changing the brightness, lighting / blinking, movement, and the like.

The "display body" means an object that can be visually distinguished from the surroundings. The "display body" includes an object that appears to be distinguishable from the surroundings by increasing or decreasing the brightness of the surroundings. It also includes objects that appear to be distinguishable from the surroundings by displaying them in a different emission color from the surroundings. For example, an object that looks distinguishable from the surroundings is included by displaying the surroundings with a gray emission color and displaying the inside with a color emission color.

Here, the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank to the preset predetermined pressure value (including the maximum pressure value) may be displayed by the area of the display body with respect to the area of the predetermined region. When the predetermined pressure value is the maximum pressure value and the internal pressure of the tank is the maximum pressure value, the area of the display body becomes the area of the predetermined region.
Further, the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank to the preset predetermined pressure value (including the maximum pressure value) may be displayed by the emission color of the display body.

Further, the predetermined area may extend in the first direction, and the display body may be displayed so as to have a length corresponding to the ratio of the lengths of the predetermined areas in the first direction.

The predetermined region is a first partial region extending in the first direction and a second partial region extending in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and at the end of the second direction, the predetermined partial region of the first partial region. It has a second partial region connected to the end in the first direction, and the display body corresponds to the ratio of the sum of the length of the first partial region in the first direction and the length of the second partial region in the second direction. It may be displayed so as to have a length.

The "maximum pressure value" means the maximum value of the internal pressure of the tank of the air compressor set according to the operation mode. For example, when the user sets 3.0 MPa as the maximum value of the internal pressure of the tank, the maximum pressure value is 3.0 MPa.

The control unit may include a load acquisition unit that acquires the load of the motor based on the current value supplied to the motor. On the display screen, the load of the motor acquired by the load acquisition unit may be displayed by the emission color of the display body.

Further, the control unit drives the motor based on the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit and a predetermined motor starting pressure value which is the pressure value for restarting the motor, and the control unit of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit. The motor may be controlled to stop the motor based on a predetermined motor stop pressure value which is an internal pressure and a pressure value for stopping the motor.

Then, at least one of the motor starting pressure value and the motor stopping pressure value may be displayed in the second area AR2 of the display screen.
Further, the maximum pressure value may be expressed as a motor stop pressure value (sometimes referred to as an OFF pressure value), which is a pressure value for stopping the generation of compressed air by the motor.

Further, the display screen may display the working pressure value of the pneumatic tool connected to the air compressor and driven by the compressed air.
In addition, the display device or the external terminal device may include an operation unit 20C for inputting at least one of a motor starting pressure value and a motor stopping pressure value. The operation unit 20C may include a touch panel type display.
Then, at least one of the motor starting pressure value and the motor stopping pressure value input by the operation unit 20C may be displayed on the display screen.
Such a compressor may be applied to an air compressor connected to a nailer that drives a fastener.

Other areas of the display screen include tank internal pressure information acquired by the pressure acquisition section, tank internal pressure information previously acquired by the pressure acquisition section, and connected to an air compressor and driven by compressed air. The number of fasteners that Neira can type may be displayed based on the information obtained from Neira.

Further, the present disclosure provides an external terminal device capable of wireless communication between an air compressor including a compression mechanism for generating compressed air and a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism. do. This external terminal device changes the display form according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank based on the communication unit for receiving the internal pressure information of the tank from the air compressor and the internal pressure information acquired by the communication unit. It is provided with a display unit for displaying the display body to be displayed in a predetermined area of the display screen. The display unit may change at least one of the display area, shape, and color of the display body. Further, the brightness, lighting / blinking, movement, etc. of the display body may be changed. Further, the display unit may vary the light emitting area in the predetermined area of the display screen based on the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank to the preset predetermined pressure value.

The external terminal device includes an operation unit 20C for inputting at least one of the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value, and the communication unit has at least the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value input by the operation unit 20C. Information indicating one of them may be configured to be transmitted to the air compressor.

Here, the communication unit is configured to receive the internal pressure information of the tank at a predetermined cycle, and the interpolating pressure that interpolates the internal pressure information of the tank based on the internal pressure information of a plurality of tanks received by the communication unit. An interpolating pressure information acquisition unit for acquiring information is provided, and the display unit executes a display in which the light emitting area in a predetermined area of the display screen is different at a predetermined cycle based on the internal pressure information of the tank acquired by the communication unit. At the same time, it may be configured to execute a display in which the light emitting area in a predetermined area of the display screen is different based on the interpolated pressure information acquired by the interpolated pressure information acquisition unit during the display.

In addition, the present disclosure is an external terminal device capable of wireless communication between an air compressor including a compression mechanism for generating compressed air and a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism. Provides a computer program for. This computer program causes a display screen and an external terminal device including a computer to display a display body that changes the display form according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank in a predetermined area of the display screen. The computer program may cause an external terminal device to display a display body that changes at least one of the display area, shape, or color of the display body. Further, the brightness, lighting / blinking, movement, etc. of the display body may be changed. A display body having a different display area may be displayed based on the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank to the preset predetermined pressure value. Further, the present disclosure includes a motor, a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air, a control unit for controlling the motor, and a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism. , An air compressor comprising a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring the internal pressure of the tank, and an external capable of wireless communication between the air compressor including the control unit for controlling the air compressor and the air compressor. It is a terminal device, and the display form changes according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank based on the communication unit for receiving the internal pressure information of the tank from the air compressor and the internal pressure information acquired by the communication unit. Provided is an external terminal device including a display unit for displaying a display body to be displayed in a predetermined area of a display screen, and a system including the display unit.

It is an external perspective view of an air compressor. It is a functional block diagram of an air compressor and an external terminal device. It is the relationship between the transition of the internal pressure of the tank and the drive time and stop time of the motor. This is an example of a display screen in the high output mode. It is a partially enlarged view of the display screen in a silent mode. It is a partially enlarged view of the display screen in a silent mode. It is a schematic diagram which shows a mode that a user changes an OFF pressure value / ON pressure value. This is a display screen when the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value are set. It is a flowchart explaining the use method of an air compressor, an external terminal device and a pneumatic tool. It is a flowchart explaining the use method of an air compressor, an external terminal device and a pneumatic tool. This is an example of a display body according to a modified example. It is a partially enlarged view of the display screen which concerns on a modification. It is a flowchart explaining the use method of the air compressor, the external terminal apparatus and the pneumatic tool which concerns on other embodiment. It is a partially enlarged view of the display screen which concerns on other embodiment. It is a partially enlarged view of the display screen which concerns on other embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are examples for explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not intended to be limited only to the embodiments.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the air compressor 1 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20.
As shown in FIG. 2, the air compressor 1 includes a motor 4, a compression mechanism 3 driven by the motor 4 to generate compressed air, a control unit 5 for controlling the motor 4, and a compression mechanism 3. A tank 8 for storing the compressed air generated by the tank 8 and a pressure sensor 12 (an example of a “pressure acquisition unit”) for acquiring the internal pressure of the tank 8 are provided.

The air compressor 1 according to the present embodiment provides compressed air to a pneumatic tool (not shown) connected to the air compressor 1. Pneumatic tools are, for example, air drivers and nailers that drive fasteners such as staples, pins, screws, and nails.

The tank 8 stores compressed air for supplying the pneumatic tool. The tank 8 can store compressed air having a pressure of 4.4 MPa or less, for example. The tank 8 is provided with a compressed air outlet 9 (FIG. 2) for supplying compressed air to the pneumatic tool. The air compressor 1 according to the present embodiment includes two compressed air outlets 9, a high pressure outlet 9A for supplying high pressure compressed air and a low pressure for supplying relatively low pressure compressed air. It is equipped with an outlet 9B. The high-pressure outlet 9A and the low-pressure outlet 9B are provided with two pressure reducing valves 10A and 10B, respectively, for supplying compressed air reduced to a desired pressure to the pneumatic tool. The high-pressure outlet 9A and the low-pressure outlet 9B are configured to have a detachable hose (not shown) for supplying compressed air to the pneumatic tool.

The pressure sensor 12 acquires the internal pressure of the tank 8. The pressure sensor 12 is, for example, a piezo resistance type in which the resistance value fluctuates according to the atmospheric pressure, or a pressure sensor in which the capacitance fluctuates according to the atmospheric pressure. As the pressure sensor 12, a strain gauge type sensor 12 may be used. The MPU 5A of the control unit 5 acquires information indicating the internal pressure of the tank 8 from the pressure sensor 12. The portion including the tank 8, the pressure sensor 12, the high pressure outlet 9A, the low pressure outlet 9B, and the pressure reducing valves 10A and 10B is referred to as a tank portion 2.

The compression mechanism 3 is driven by a motor 4 to generate compressed air. The compression mechanism 3 includes, for example, a cylinder and a piston provided in the cylinder, and the piston is reciprocated by the motor 4 to compress the air supplied from the intake valve of the cylinder into the cylinder to compress the compressed air. Generate. The compressed air is supplied to the tank 8 via the connecting pipe 14.

The motor 4 drives the compression mechanism 3. The motor 4 according to the present embodiment generates a driving force for reciprocating the piston of the compression mechanism 3. The motor 4 is a three-phase brushless DC motor 4, which includes a stator 16 having U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase three-phase windings 16A, 16B, and 16C, and a rotor 17 having a permanent magnet. As a result of the rotation of the rotor 17 by the rotating magnetic field formed by the currents flowing through the three-phase windings 16A, 16B, 16C, the piston engaged with the rotating body connected to the rotating shaft of the rotor 17 reciprocates.

The control unit 5 controls the motor 4. Further, the control unit 5 supplies the information necessary for display by the external terminal device 20 to the external terminal device 20. The control unit 5 converts the AC power supply AC into a DC power supply having a predetermined voltage and switches between the converter circuit 5B supplied to the inverter circuit 5C and the DC power supply supplied from the converter circuit 5B to switch between the three phases of the motor 4. The inverter circuit 5C supplied to the windings 16A, 16B, 16C, the detection circuit 5D for acquiring the load of the motor 4, the communication circuit 5E for communicating with the external terminal device 20, the converter circuit 5B, and the inverter circuit 5C. , MPU 5A for controlling the communication circuit 5E.

The converter circuit 5B can employ a known configuration, for example, it comprises a rectifying circuit with a diode for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage and a switching element for controlling the voltage of the DC voltage. It includes a booster circuit and a smoothing circuit provided with a capacitor for smoothing the DC voltage. The MPU 5A can execute PAM (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) control by controlling the switching element of the booster circuit of the converter circuit 5B.

The inverter circuit 5C can adopt a known configuration, for example, switching consisting of an IGBT (Insulted Gate Bipolar Transistor) or a FET (Field Effect Transistor) connected by a three-phase bridge between the power supply line and the ground line. It is equipped with an element. The MPU 5A can execute PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control by changing the duty ratio of the gate signal that controls the switching element of the inverter circuit 5C.

The detection circuit 5D includes a current detection circuit (an example of a “load acquisition unit”) and a voltage detection circuit. The current detection circuit is connected to at least one of the three-phase windings 16A, 16B, 16C and detects the current flowing through them. As the current detection circuit, for example, an AC current detection sensor capable of detecting an alternating current may be used. Since the current flowing through the windings 16A, 16B, 16C of the motor 4 fluctuates according to the load of the motor 4, the current detection circuit functions as a load acquisition unit for acquiring information indicating the load of the motor 4. The MPU 5A can acquire information indicating the load of the motor 4 from the current detection circuit and control the converter circuit 5B and the inverter circuit 5C based on the information. Further, the MPU 5A transmits information indicating the load of the motor 4 to the external terminal device 20 via the communication circuit 5E. The voltage detection circuit detects the power supply voltage converted by the converter circuit 5B. The MPU 5A can acquire information indicating the power supply voltage from the voltage detection circuit and control the converter circuit 5B and the inverter circuit 5C based on the information indicating the power supply voltage. Further, the MPU 5A transmits information indicating the power supply voltage to the external terminal device 20 via the communication circuit 5E.

The communication circuit 5E transmits / receives information to / from the external terminal device 20 by wireless communication. It is preferable that the wireless communication complies with technical standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication standard, wireless LAN communication standard, and Zigbee (registered trademark) communication standard. The communication circuit 5E includes, for example, an interface circuit for transmitting and receiving information to and from the external terminal device 20 in accordance with the Bluetooth communication standard.

The MPU 5A acquires information indicating the internal pressure of the tank 8 from the pressure sensor 12 (hereinafter referred to as “internal pressure information”), and information indicating the load of the motor 4 from the current detection circuit (hereinafter referred to as “load information”). ), And information indicating the power supply voltage (hereinafter referred to as "power supply voltage information") is acquired from the voltage detection circuit, and a control signal for controlling the converter circuit 5B and the inverter circuit 5C is generated based on these. By doing so, the motor 4 is controlled. Further, the MPU 5A transmits the internal pressure information, the load information, and the power supply voltage information to the external terminal device 20 by using the communication circuit 5E. Further, the MPU 5A receives information received from the external terminal device 20 using the communication circuit 5E to select the operation mode, select the rotation amount of the motor 4, and indicate the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value. The motor 4 is configured to be controllable based on the above.

More specifically, the MPU5A has a motor start pressure value (hereinafter, may be referred to as “ON pressure value”) and a motor stop pressure value (hereinafter, referred to as “OFF pressure value”) which are preset according to the operation mode. In some cases), it is read from the storage element included in the MPU 5A or received from the external terminal device 20, and compared with the current internal pressure of the tank 8 based on the internal pressure information, and the internal pressure of the tank 8 starts the motor. When the pressure value is less than or equal to the pressure value, a control signal for driving the motor 4 (PAM signal for driving the switching element of the converter circuit 5B and the PWM signal for driving the switching element of the inverter circuit 5C) is generated, and the converter circuit. By supplying to 5B and the inverter circuit 5C, the motor 4 is driven until the internal pressure of the tank 8 reaches the motor stop pressure value. When the internal pressure of the tank 8 reaches the motor stop pressure value, the MPU 5A stops the motor 4 and does not restart the motor 4 until the internal pressure reaches the motor start pressure value. When the internal pressure of the tank 8 drops to the motor starting pressure value by the user using a pneumatic tool or due to aging, the MPU5A again reaches the motor stopping pressure value of the tank 8. Restart the motor 4 until. By repeatedly executing such control, the MPU 5A controls the internal pressure of the tank 8 so that the internal pressure of the tank 8 is maintained in the range of the motor start pressure value or more and the motor stop pressure value or less.

The air compressor 1 is configured to be operable in three types of modes, for example, a high output mode, a silent mode, and a custom mode.
FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the transition of the internal pressure of the tank 8 in the high output mode (hereinafter, may be referred to as “high power mode”) and the drive time and the stop time of the motor 4. The high output mode is an operation mode suitable for work that consumes a large amount of air, such as screw tightening using a pneumatic tool as an air driver and nederless striking with a nailer. As shown in the figure, in the high output mode, the OFF pressure value is 4.4 MPa and the ON pressure value is 3.8 MPa. The control unit 5 controls the motor 4 so that the internal pressure of the tank 8 does not exceed the OFF pressure value, which is the maximum pressure value.

The silent mode is an operation mode suitable for work such as interior work, in which a lower output than the high output mode is sufficient. In the silent mode, the OFF pressure value is 3.0 MPa and the ON pressure value is 2.5 MPa. The control unit 5 controls the motor 4 so that the internal pressure of the tank 8 stays within this range.
The custom mode is an operation mode in which the motor 4 is operated based on the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value set by the user according to the work content and the like. The air compressor 1 according to the present embodiment can be operated in the custom mode. For example, depending on the pneumatic tool used and the work content, the internal pressure of the tank 8 may be insufficient in the silent mode, and the internal pressure of the tank 8 may be too high in the high output mode. For example, in the case of underlaying, it may be preferable to set the OFF pressure value to 4.0 MPa and the ON pressure value to 3.2 MPa. In this case, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is insufficient in the silent mode, and the internal pressure of the tank 8 is insufficient in the high output mode. The internal pressure of the tank 8 is too high. In addition, depending on the pneumatic tool and work content, it may be desirable to set the interval between the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value narrowly to keep the compressed air consumption constant, and conversely, the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value. It may be acceptable to set a wide interval. Furthermore, depending on the work environment, it may be desirable to proceed with the work so as to be as quiet as possible. By using the custom mode, it is possible to operate the air compressor 1 in a manner adapted to the work content and the like.

The air compressor 1 also has a plurality of operation modes for the rotation speed of the motor 4, and has, for example, three operation modes of a high rotation mode, a medium rotation mode, and a low rotation mode. As the rotation speed of the motor 4 increases, more compressed air is generated, so that the internal pressure of the tank 8 can be increased in a short time (that is, the inclination of the solid line in FIG. 3 can be increased. Become). However, there is a demerit that the higher the number of revolutions, the louder the noise. In the custom mode, it is also possible to operate the motor 4 based on an arbitrary rotation speed set by the user or a predetermined rotation speed selected by the user.

The MPU 5A acquires information for setting the motor start pressure value, the motor stop pressure value, and the rotation speed of the motor 4 from the external terminal device 20. The MPU 5A generates a PAM signal and a PWM signal for driving the motor 4 based on the information for setting the motor start pressure value, the motor stop pressure value, and the rotation speed of the motor 4 received from the external terminal device 20. , Control the motor 4.

The MPU5A includes a processor and a storage element, which are arithmetic processing units, as a hardware configuration. The storage element is used as a volatile semiconductor storage element used as a primary storage means, SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and as a non-transitory storage means. It is composed of a NOR type flash memory and a NAND type flash memory, which are non-volatile semiconductor storage elements. The non-volatile semiconductor storage element includes a computer program disclosed in the present specification for executing each process executed by the control circuit unit, a computer program for performing communication in accordance with a predetermined technical standard, and each operation mode (each operation mode). ON and OFF pressure values of (power mode, silent mode, custom mode, etc.), data for generating control signals for executing PAM control and PWM control according to each operation mode, and other data disclosed herein. Information necessary for executing processing etc. is recorded. The MPU5A may be composed of a plurality of processors, storage elements, and the like. For example, the MPU 5A may be configured from an MCU for controlling the motor 4 and a GPU for displaying the display body DS2 shown in the present embodiment.

The external terminal device 20 is a terminal device capable of operating the air compressor 1 from a place away from the air compressor 1. The external terminal device 20 is a portable computer device having a display screen DS for displaying information such as a smart phone or a tablet and capable of wireless communication. It is possible to configure the external terminal device 20 according to the present embodiment by installing and starting an application program (computer program) for executing each process and the like according to the present embodiment in this computer device. ..

The external terminal device 20 displays a communication circuit 20D (an example of a "communication unit") for receiving information including the internal pressure information of the tank 8 from the air compressor 1 and information including the internal pressure of the tank 8. This embodiment controls a display unit 20B including a display screen DS, an operation unit 20C for inputting at least one of a motor start pressure value and a motor stop pressure value, a communication circuit 20D, a display unit 20B, and an operation unit 20C. A MPU 20A having a processor and a storage element for executing each process by the external terminal device 20 according to the above. As will be described later, the MPU 20A also functions as the interpolation pressure information acquisition unit 20A1.

The communication circuit 20D transmits / receives information to / from the air compressor 1 by wireless communication. The communication circuit 20D includes, for example, a wireless LAN communication standard (including the 802.11XX standard specified by the IEEE) and a Bluetooth communication standard (including the Bluetooth standard specified by the Bluetooth SIG), similarly to the communication circuit 5E of the control unit 5. ), An interface circuit for transmitting and receiving information to and from the external terminal device 20 is provided. The communication circuit 20D receives information such as internal pressure information, load information, and power supply voltage information transmitted from the communication circuit 5E of the control unit 5. The MPU 20A acquires information such as internal pressure information, load information, and power supply voltage information received by the communication circuit 20D.

The display unit 20B has a display screen DS. Information including internal pressure information is displayed on the display screen DS. FIG. 4 shows an example of information displayed on the display screen DS when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 4.4 MPa in the high output mode. 5A and 5B are partially enlarged views of the display screen DS when the internal pressures of the tank 8 are 2.8 MPa and 1.0 MPa, respectively, in the silent mode.

As shown in these drawings, the display screen DS is provided with a first region AR1 (an example of a “predetermined region”) for displaying the internal pressure of the tank 8. The first region AR1 extends in the first direction so as to have a length of half or more of the length of the display screen DS in the horizontal direction of the paper surface (sometimes referred to as “first direction”) in the figure. Is provided. The contour of the first region AR1 includes two long sides parallel to the first direction and two short sides connecting the two long sides. The left end of the first region AR1 extends in the lower left direction of the paper and points to "0" displayed in the region around the first region AR1. Therefore, the short side at the left end of the first region AR1 has a portion extending in the lower left direction. The short side at the right end of the first region AR1 has a portion extending in the upper right direction of the paper surface and connecting to the upper long side. By displaying the first region AR1 in this way, the user can easily grasp that the internal pressure is low at the left end and the internal pressure increases as it approaches the right end.

In the first region AR1, a display body DS2 that changes the display region according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank 8 acquired by the pressure sensor 12 is displayed. The display body DS2 is an object that can be visually distinguished from the surroundings. In the present embodiment, the area around the first area AR1 is displayed in black or is displayed in gray emission color, and the display body DS2 is displayed in emission color distinguishable from the surrounding area such as red, yellow, and green. The display body DS2 is represented by this. It should be noted that the display body that can be visually identified may be displayed by making the brightness higher or lower than that of the surrounding area.

FIG. 4 shows the display body DS2 when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 4.4 MPa, which is the maximum pressure value. As shown in the figure, at this time, since the display body DS2 is displayed on the entire first region AR1, the first region AR1 and the display body DS2 match.
FIG. 5A shows the display body DS2 when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 2.8 MPa. At this time, the ratio of the internal pressure (2.8 MPa) of the tank 8 to the preset maximum pressure value (4.4 MPa) is 63%. Therefore, the display body DS2 is displayed so as to occupy about 63% (for example, 53% to 73%) of the area of the first region AR1. Further, since the first region AR1 is provided so as to extend in the first direction, the display body DS2 is about 63% (for example, 53% to 73%) of the length of the first region AR1 in the first direction. %) Is displayed to have a length. Of the first area AR1, the area where the display body DS2 is not displayed is displayed in the same black or gray as the surrounding area, for example.
As shown in FIG. 4, information indicating the state of the equipment of the air compressor 1 is displayed in another area of the display screen DS (for example, the area above the first area AR1). Specifically, along with an icon indicating "abnormality", text information indicating the content of the abnormality (for example, information explaining that an abnormality has occurred in the inverter circuit 5C) is displayed. Since the display area is limited, the text information may be displayed while moving the text. Here, a plurality of types of icons indicating "abnormality" may be set, for example, an icon indicating that the motor 4 or the like is hot, an icon indicating that the air compressor 1 or the like is low temperature, and a high power supply voltage. Text explaining that, an icon indicating that the power supply voltage is low, an icon indicating that the drain cock of the air compressor 1 is still open, an icon indicating that the inspection time of the air compressor 1 is reached, and the like. The air compressor 1 may be configured to be selectively displayed together with. Further, when notifying the abnormality, an example of the action to be taken by the user may be displayed. For example, when notifying that the motor or control circuit is hot, install the machine in a well-ventilated place to encourage it to cool down, or when notifying an abnormality of the voltage value, use a power supply or extension. It may be displayed to prompt you to review the state of the code. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when an abnormality or the like has not occurred, the text information "normal operation" indicating that may be displayed. In addition, as information indicating the state of the device, text information or the like that the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 are not connected may be displayed. Further, when the timer function is being executed, the character information indicating the time may be displayed as a countdown.

FIG. 5B shows the display body DS2 when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 1.0 MPa. At this time, the ratio of the internal pressure (1.0 MPa) of the tank 8 to the preset maximum pressure value (4.4 MPa) is 22%. Therefore, the display body DS2 is displayed so as to occupy about 22% (for example, 12% to 32%) of the area of the first region AR1. Further, since the first region AR1 is provided so as to extend in the first direction, the display body DS2 is about 22% (for example, 12% to 32) of the length of the first region AR1 in the first direction. %) Is displayed to have a length. Of the first area AR1, the area where the display body DS2 is not displayed is displayed in, for example, the same black or gray as the surrounding area.

Further, in the present embodiment, the emission color of the display body DS2 varies depending on the internal pressure of the tank 8. For example, in a region where the internal pressure of the tank 8 is sufficiently low, that is, in the left half region of the first region AR1, the display body DS2 is displayed, for example, in green, and the higher the internal pressure of the tank 8, that is, the first. The display body DS2 shifts from green to red as it shifts to the right side of the 1st region AR1, and is displayed in red at the maximum pressure value, that is, at the right end of the 1st region AR1.

In the second region AR2 below the first region AR1, an axis extending in the first direction, that is, in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the first region AR1, is displayed. A scale is provided on this shaft every 0.5 MPa. Further, according to the scale, the OFF pressure value of 4.4 (MPa) and the ON pressure value of 3.8 (MPa) in the high output mode are displayed as numerical values.

Further, in the third region AR3 further below, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is displayed as a numerical value. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, information indicating the rotational speed of the motor 4 may be displayed on the side of the third region AR3. The figure shows that the low rotation mode with low noise is selected.

As described above, in the display area of the display screen DS, the display body DS2 that changes the display area according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank 8 is displayed. It can be considered that it is sufficient to display the internal pressure of the tank 8 as a numerical value, but if the display area is intentionally different according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank 8 in the display screen DS having a limited size. It was decided to display the display body DS2 to be displayed.

The inventors of the present application initially considered displaying only the numerical value indicating the internal pressure of the tank 8 on the display screen DS. However, although the internal pressure of the tank 8 is important information for the pneumatic tool, it has been noticed that displaying the numerical value alone does not necessarily provide useful information to the user. For example, when a numerical value indicating that the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 3.3 MPa is displayed on the display screen DS, what does the value "3.3" (MPa) mean to the air compressor 1 depending on the user? I noticed that it may not be possible to know if it has (for example, if the compressed air in the tank 8 is about to run out, or if the compressed air in the tank 8 still remains). Even if the user saw the numbers displayed while working with the pneumatic tool, it did not lead to adjusting the work contents based on such display.

Therefore, the inventors of the present application have come up with the idea of displaying the display body DS2 having a different display area according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank 8 after various trials and errors. With such a configuration, the display area differs depending on whether the internal pressure of the tank 8 is low or high. Therefore, does the user see the current display area to reduce the internal pressure of the tank 8? , It is possible to intuitively grasp whether it is high enough. In particular, in the case of the air compressor 1, since the internal pressure before starting is sufficiently low, the display area of the display body DS2 is intuitively grasped as the air compressor 1 is started and the internal pressure increases. It is possible.

Further, in the present embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank 8 to the preset maximum pressure value is displayed by the area of the display body DS2 with respect to the area of the first region AR1. Therefore, not only the information indicating the internal pressure of the tank 8 but also the new information such as the ratio of the internal pressure to the maximum pressure value can be easily transmitted to the operator. At first glance, the operator can grasp the ratio of the internal pressure to the maximum pressure value, so for example, how much the work content consumes the compressed air stored in the tank 8 of the air compressor 1. It becomes possible to grasp intuitively. For example, by comparing the amount of decrease in the area of the display body DS2 before and after the work with the area of the first region AR1 (the area corresponding to the maximum pressure value), the operator activates the air compressor 1. It will be possible to determine if compressed air must be generated or if work can be continued without producing compressed air. Further, even if compressed air is generated, it is possible to provide the operator with information for determining whether it is sufficient to rotate the motor 4 at a low speed or whether it must be rotated at a high speed. Since the noise associated with the rotation of the motor 4 for generating compressed air in the air compressor 1 is very large, by providing information on the ratio of the internal pressure to the maximum pressure value, the compressed air is stored more than necessary for operation. It is possible to suppress the situation where the efficiency is deteriorated, the load on the air compressor 1 is increased to adversely affect the life, and the situation where unnecessary noise is generated, and the efficient use of the air compressor 1 can be promoted.

In addition, in the present embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the emission color of the display body DS2 is changed according to the internal pressure of the tank 8. Therefore, the operator can intuitively grasp the excess / deficiency state of the air by looking at the emission color of the display body DS2. In particular, in the present embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the display body DS2 is displayed in a green emission color when the internal pressure is low, and the display body DS2 is displayed in a red emission color when the internal pressure is high. Red is generally used as a color to call attention, and green is generally used as a color to indicate a safe condition. In the present embodiment, when the load on the air compressor 1 is high due to the high internal pressure and the product life of the air compressor 1 may be deteriorated, the red color is displayed to alert the user. It has made it possible to transmit information that is not always recognized by the user that high pressure is not always a preferable state for the air compressor 1.

Then, in the present embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which not only the display body DS2 but also the numerical value of the internal pressure is simultaneously displayed in the limited area of the display screen DS. By displaying the display body DS2 and the numerical value at the same time, it is possible to more efficiently use the air compressor 1. For example, when working for a predetermined time, the amount of decrease in the area of the display body DS2 before and after the work is compared with the area corresponding to the maximum pressure value, and the amount of decrease in the numerical value of the internal pressure is grasped. With the work of time, it becomes possible to accurately grasp the amount of decrease in internal pressure and the ratio of the amount of decrease to the maximum pressure value.

In particular, when the air compressor 1 is shared by a plurality of pneumatic tools and worked at the same time, it is difficult to predict the amount of decrease in the stored compressed air. The air compressor 1 was operated. However, by adopting the configuration shown in the present embodiment, the user can accurately grasp the amount of compressed air consumption that fluctuates according to the work content and the like, so that the air compressor 1 is efficient. It is possible to promote various uses.

Further, in the second region AR2 below the first region AR1, an axis extending in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the first region AR1 is displayed, and an ON pressure value and an OFF pressure value are displayed according to this axis. To. Therefore, by tracking the fluctuation of the display area of the display body DS2, the user can grasp new information such as the timing at which the noise generated / stopped by the driving of the motor 4 is generated / stopped. That is, how much time is left during the work, and how much noise is generated when the internal pressure drops to the ON pressure value and the motor 4 is restarted, or how much time is left while the motor 4 is being driven. With time, it becomes possible to easily grasp the timing of whether the noise stops as the internal pressure reaches the OFF pressure value and the motor 4 stops driving.
The ON pressure value and the OFF pressure value may be displayed in the first region AR1.

Below the second region AR2, a button for selecting an operation mode is displayed. Specifically, a button for selecting a high output mode (high power mode) or a silent mode is displayed. Further, when the custom mode is set by the user, a button for selecting the custom mode (custom 1) is displayed.

Further, in the upper left of the first region AR1, the voltage value (for example, 100V) of the DC voltage converted by the converter circuit is displayed as a numerical value. The inventors of the present application have focused on the fact that the power supply voltage may not be stable depending on the usage environment (including the country of use), and provided a voltage detection circuit in the air compressor 1 to obtain power supply voltage information. Was acquired from the air compressor 1 and displayed on the display screen DS of the external terminal device 20. When the power supply voltage is low, it takes more time to generate compressed air. Therefore, by displaying the power supply voltage information on the display screen DS of the external terminal device 20, it is possible to promote the efficient use of the air compressor 1.

[Custom mode]
The air compressor 1 according to the present embodiment has a custom mode that operates based on the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value set by the user according to the work content. The operator can set the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value by using the display screen DS of the external terminal device 20.

When the user touches the "custom setting" or "setting" button shown in FIG. 4, the display screen DS transitions to a state in which the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value can be set by the user. Specifically, the user touches the OFF pressure value or the arrow indicating the ON pressure value displayed on the second region AR2, and slides the arrow according to the scale while touching the display screen DS to obtain the OFF pressure value or. It is possible to easily set the ON pressure value. FIG. 6A schematically shows how the user changes the OFF pressure value, and FIG. 6B shows the OFF pressure value set to 3.0 (MPa) and the ON pressure value set to 2.5 (MPa). A pop-up window will appear indicating that it has been done.

Hereinafter, a method of using the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 according to the present embodiment, including a custom setting method, will be described.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating how to use the air compressor 1, the external terminal device 20, and the pneumatic tool. The user connects the hose for supplying the compressed air taken out from the air compressor 1 to the pneumatic tool to the air compressor 1 and the pneumatic tool. Then, the external terminal device 20 is paired with the air compressor 1, and the external terminal device 20 and the air compressor 1 are connected by a wireless LAN (step S71). The length of the hose is, for example, 10 m. The user can operate the air compressor 1 by using the external terminal device 20 at a position away from the air compressor 1.

Then, the user activates a computer program for operating the air compressor 1 on the external terminal device 20 and selects an operation mode (for example, a high power mode) (step S72). Upon receiving the input of the operation mode, the MPU 20A of the external terminal device 20 causes the communication circuit 20D to transmit the operation mode and the information indicating the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value determined corresponding to the operation mode. The MPU 5A of the air compressor 1 uses the communication circuit 5E to acquire information for selecting an operation mode and information indicating an OFF pressure value and an ON pressure value determined corresponding to this operation mode, and controls based on this. The motor 4 is controlled by generating a signal and operating the inverter circuit 5C or the like. With the operation of the inverter circuit 5C and the like, an alternating current flows through the windings 16A, 16B, 16C of the motor 4 and a rotating magnetic field is generated, so that the motor 4 starts driving (step S73).

When the motor 4 starts driving, the internal pressure of the tank 8 increases. The MPU 5A of the air compressor 1 periodically acquires internal pressure information from the pressure sensor 12, load information and power supply voltage information from the detection circuit 5D, and periodically transmits these information to the external terminal device 20 (step S74).

When the MPU 20A of the external terminal device 20 receives the internal pressure information or the like, the display area is displayed on the first area AR1 of the display screen DS so as to change the display area according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank 8 acquired by the pressure sensor 12. Display body DS2. Further, the MPU 20A causes the second region AR2 to display the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value set according to the selected operation mode. Further, the MPU 20A causes the third region AR3 to display the internal pressure of the tank 8 at that time as a numerical value (step S75). The MPU 20A updates the display area of the display body DS2 every time it receives internal pressure information or the like. Therefore, the display area of the display body DS2 dynamically fluctuates according to the magnitude of the internal pressure.

After that, steps S74 and S75 are periodically repeated. Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, the display area of the display body DS2 gradually increases as the internal pressure increases. For example, the display area of the display body DS2 increases in the order of FIGS. 5B, 5A, and 4.

When the internal pressure reaches the OFF pressure value, the MPU 5A of the air compressor 1 stops the operation of the motor 4 (step S76). Here, since the ON pressure value and the OFF pressure value are displayed in the second region AR2, the user can see the first region AR1 and the second region AR2 to see the internal pressure before the operation of the motor 4 is stopped. It is possible to easily grasp that is approaching the OFF pressure value. Therefore, the user can start the work preparation immediately before the motor 4 of the air compressor 1 stops, and can smoothly start the work at the same time as the motor 4 stops.

When the user starts using the pneumatic tool (step S77), the compressed air stored in the tank 8 is consumed, so that the internal pressure drops. When the internal pressure drops to the ON pressure value, the MPU 5A restarts the motor 4 and raises the internal pressure to the OFF pressure value (step S78). The motor 4 repeatedly restarts and stops until the work is completed.

According to the method of using the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 as described above, the user can use the pneumatic tool while displaying the internal pressure of the tank 8 on the external terminal device 20. At this time, the user can try to change the ON pressure value or the OFF pressure value according to the work content and the like.

For example, when the fastener is driven into the workpiece in the high power mode and it is confirmed that the fastener can be sufficiently driven into the workpiece even near the ON pressure value, the operator can use the custom setting button on the display screen DS. It is possible to set the ON pressure value to 1.2 MPa, which is lower than the initial 3.8 MPa, for example. In addition, since it was found that a large amount of compressed air was not required to drive each fastener, it was judged that it was not necessary to sufficiently increase the internal pressure, or it took time to drive each fastener. If it is found that more compressed air is not required than expected, the operator may change the OFF pressure value. The operator can set the OFF pressure value to, for example, 3.0 MPa by the same operation.

Upon receiving the input of the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value (including the case of the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value) by the user, the MPU 20A uses the communication circuit 20D to set the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value to the air compressor 1. (Step S79).

When the MPU 5A of the air compressor 1 receives the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value using the communication circuit 5E and acquires it (step S80), it generates a control signal based on this and operates the inverter circuit 5C or the like. The motor 4 is controlled so that the internal pressure of the tank 8 stays within the range from the OFF pressure value to the ON pressure value (step S81).

Needless to say, the user can change the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value again. Since the ON pressure value is a value that can be set as the minimum pressure value required to satisfy the work, the type of fastener, the type of pneumatic tool, the type of workpiece, the tolerance for noise in the work environment, etc. It is preferable that the setting can be made flexibly according to the situation. It is preferable that the OFF pressure value can also be set in order in the same manner.

According to the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 according to the present embodiment, the user can easily confirm the fluctuation of the internal pressure while working. Further, in the second region AR2 below the first region AR1, an axis extending in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the first region AR1 is displayed, and the extension of the first region AR1 is indicated with reference to this axis. Since it is possible to easily set the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value by moving the finger in the direction parallel to the direction, the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value are relatively relative to the current internal pressure. Can be set. For example, the user can determine whether it is preferable to set the ON pressure value higher or lower than the current internal pressure based on the work result. In particular, by extending the first region AR1 in the width direction of the display screen DS so as to have a length of at least half the width of the display screen DS, the user can easily set the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value. It is possible to set to.

When the appropriate OFF pressure value and ON pressure value are determined under the predetermined work contents, the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value are registered as one operation mode of the custom mode by using the external terminal device 20. It is possible.
Since the air compressor 1 can record its OFF pressure value and ON pressure value in the storage element of the MPU 5A, it is also possible to share the setting contents with other users from the next time onward. When the same work is repeated for several days, the work can be efficiently carried out by performing the work based on the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value recorded in the storage element. Further, even if the type of fastener and the type of pneumatic tool are the same, it is possible to set different OFF pressure values and ON pressure values according to the number of pneumatic tools sharing the air compressor 1.

As described above, according to the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to promote the effective utilization of the air compressor 1.

[Modification example]
Hereinafter, a modification of the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 according to the first embodiment will be described. In addition, with respect to a modification and another embodiment, a part understood by those skilled in the art to have the same or similar configuration or function is designated by the same or similar reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted or simplified. ..

In the first embodiment, in the display body DS2, the region where the internal pressure is low is displayed in green, and the region where the internal pressure is high is displayed in red. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the entire display body DS2 may be displayed in the same color depending on the internal pressure. For example, the entire display may be displayed in green, yellow, and red, respectively, depending on whether the internal pressure of the tank 8 is low, medium, or high.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8A, the display body DS2 may be divided into a plurality of parts and displayed. For example, it may be divided into three parts, and when the pressure is low, only one divided part may be displayed, and when the pressure is high, the three parts may be displayed. Further, as shown in the figure, the height of the portion displayed at high pressure may be larger than the height of the portion displayed at low pressure. The color may be different, such as displaying the part displayed at high pressure in red and displaying the part displayed at low pressure in green.

Further, the first region does not have to extend linearly. As an example, the first region may be provided so as to extend in an L shape. For example, a first partial region extending in the first direction and a second extending in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction and connecting to the first directional end of the first partial region at the second directional end. The first region may be provided so as to have a two-part region. Further, the display body has a length corresponding to the ratio of the internal pressure to the maximum pressure value with respect to the sum of the length of the first partial region in the first direction and the length of the second partial region in the second direction. May be good.

Further, the color of the display body may be changed according to the load information (current consumption) or the temperature of the compressor in addition to the internal pressure. In the latter case, the compressor may be provided with a temperature sensor, and the communication circuit 5E may be used to transmit information indicating the temperature of the compressor to an external terminal. Specifically, the temperature of the winding 16A of the motor or the temperature in the vicinity of the converter circuit 5B or the inverter circuit 5C mounted on the PCB board may be detected as the temperature of the compressor. Further, a detecting means capable of measuring the outside air temperature may be provided, and the temperature difference from the compressor temperature may be transmitted as information.

Further, the first region AR1 may be displayed in the center or below in addition to the upper part of the display screen DS.
In addition, the first region AR1 may be set so that the maximum pressure value set according to the operation mode is at the right end. For example, when the operation mode in which the maximum pressure value (OFF pressure value) is 3.0 MPa is selected, 3.0 MPa is the right end of the first region AR1, and when the high power mode is selected, 4.4 MPa is the first. It is the right end of the area AR1.

Alternatively, regardless of the operation mode, a region is provided (without changing the scale) so that the maximum value that the internal pressure of the tank 8 can take (4.4 MPa in this embodiment) is at the right end, and the region is within the region. May display a delimiter indicating the maximum pressure value. FIG. 8B is a partially enlarged view of the display screen DS displaying the delimiter BR shown when 3.8 MPa is set as the maximum pressure value (OFF pressure value).

In addition to the maximum pressure value, the ratio of the internal pressure to the predetermined pressure value is displayed by making the light emitting area different in the predetermined region based on the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank 8 to the predetermined pressure value. You may.

Further, depending on the update frequency (cycle) of the display body, the display body may not be displayed smoothly. In such a case, the interpolated pressure information acquisition unit 20A1 of the MPU 20A acquires the interpolated pressure information that interpolates the internal pressure information that is periodically acquired. Then, the display unit 20B executes a display in a predetermined area having a different light emitting area based on the internal pressure information of the tank 8 acquired by the communication unit, and during the display, the light emitting area is based on the interpolated pressure information. May be configured to perform different displays. With such a configuration, the display body can be displayed smoothly.

It should be noted that the order of steps performed in the method of using the air compressor, the external terminal device 20, and the pneumatic tool may be changed within a range reasonably considered by those skilled in the art. For example, after selecting the operation mode in the external terminal device 20 (step S72), the external terminal device 20 may be wirelessly connected to the air compressor (step S71).

Further, instead of displaying the display body on the display screen DS of the external terminal device 20 wirelessly connected to the air compressor 1, the main body of the air compressor 1 may be provided with the same configuration. In that case, the air compressor 1 may be provided with a configuration corresponding to the MPU 20A, the operation unit 20C, and the communication circuit 20D, and the display device of the operation panel 6 may be provided with a display screen DS. Further, as the MPU 20A and the communication circuit 20D, the same hardware configuration as the MPU 5A and the communication circuit 5E may be used.

[Second Embodiment]
Appropriate working pressure values (including OFF pressure value and ON pressure value) may be set for each pneumatic tool. The present embodiment provides an external terminal device provided with a display screen DS capable of acquiring information including a working pressure value (hereinafter referred to as "working pressure value information") from a pneumatic tool and displaying the working pressure value. do. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using an air compressor, an external terminal device, and a pneumatic tool using such an external terminal device.

The user connects the hose for supplying the compressed air taken out from the air compressor to the pneumatic tool to the air compressor and the pneumatic tool. Then, the external terminal device is paired with the air compressor, and the external terminal device and the air compressor are wirelessly connected (step S91).

Next, the external terminal device acquires the identification information of the pneumatic tool and the working pressure value information from the pneumatic tool (step S92). Specifically, for example, a two-dimensional bar code is attached to the pneumatic tool, and the two-dimensional bar code is imaged using the image pickup device of the external terminal device, whereby the identification information and the working pressure value information are provided to the external terminal device. It is possible to get. The two-dimensional bar code may include the identification information and the working pressure value information itself, or the two-dimensional bar code may be used to access a predetermined website, and the identification information and the working pressure value information may be transmitted from the website to an external terminal device. You may get it. In addition, the two-dimensional barcode includes the identification information of the pneumatic tool, the external terminal device is made to acquire the identification information of the pneumatic tool, and the working pressure value information corresponding to the pneumatic tool identified from the storage element of the MPU is obtained. May be obtained.

The external terminal device may acquire information indicating the number of fasteners that can be driven by the pneumatic tool together with the working pressure value information. For example, the number of fasteners that can be driven can be reduced from a predetermined pressure value to the ON pressure value, which is the minimum pressure value at which the pneumatic tool can be reasonably used. It may be information indicating a possible number. Alternatively, it may be information indicating the amount of compressed air consumed when driving a predetermined number of fasteners using the pneumatic tool. Alternatively, the pneumatic tool may be identified based on the amount of pressure fluctuation that fluctuates due to the connection of the pneumatic tool to the hose. Based on this information and the internal pressure information, the MPU can acquire information indicating the number that can be driven.

Since steps S93 to S95 are the same as steps S73 to S75, the description thereof will be omitted.

The MPU displays information such as the number of fasteners that can be driven on the display screen DS together with internal pressure information (step S96). FIG. 10A shows an example of the display screen DS when the internal pressure is 3.0 MPa, and FIG. 10B shows an example of the display screen DS when the internal pressure is 4.4 MPa.

As shown in these drawings, the OFF pressure value (4.4 MPa) and the ON pressure value (1.2 MPa) set according to the pneumatic tool are displayed in the second region AR2 as the working pressure value information. To. Further, the identification information of the pneumatic tool is displayed in the fourth area AR4. Further, in the fifth area AR5, the number of fasteners that can be driven is displayed. As shown in these drawings, at 3.0 MPa, it is possible to drive 50 fasteners using the pneumatic tool, and at 4.4 MPa, 90 fasteners can be driven using the pneumatic tool. It is possible to type in.

As described above, according to the air compressor and the external terminal device according to the present embodiment, Neira drives the display screen DS of the external terminal device based on the internal pressure information of the tank 8 and the information acquired from the pneumatic tool. Since the number of fasteners that can be displayed is displayed, the user can proceed with the work efficiently.

Further, the operator can grasp the working pressure value information of the pneumatic tool and grasp whether or not the current internal pressure satisfies the working pressure of the pneumatic tool. Therefore, for example, when it is desired to drive a small number of fasteners, the operator can promptly start the work at the timing when the working pressure of the pneumatic tool is exceeded.

In addition to the number of fasteners that Neira can drive, information indicating the amount of work may be displayed. For example, based on the amount of decrease in internal pressure and the working time, information indicating how many minutes can be worked may be displayed.

Further, the present invention can be modified in various ways as long as it does not deviate from the gist thereof. For example, some components in one embodiment may be added to other embodiments within the normal creative abilities of those skilled in the art. Also, some components in one embodiment can be replaced with corresponding components in another embodiment.

1 Air compressor 2 Tank section 3 Compression mechanism 4 Motor 5 Control section 5A MPU
5B Converter circuit 5C Inverter circuit 5D Detection circuit 5E Communication circuit 6 Operation panel 8 Tank 9 Compressed air outlet 9A High pressure outlet 9B Low pressure outlet 10A, 10B Pressure reducing valve 12 Pressure sensor 14 Connecting pipe 16 Stator 16A, 16B, 16C Winding 17 Rotor 20 External terminal device 20A MPU
20A1 Interpolated pressure information acquisition unit 20B Display unit 20C Operation unit 20D Communication circuit AC AC power supply DS Display screen DS2 Display unit

Claims (15)

A motor, a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air, a control unit for controlling the motor, a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism, and the tank. An air compressor including a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring the internal pressure of the air compressor, and a control unit for controlling the air compressor.
The control unit is acquired by the pressure acquisition unit in a predetermined area of a display screen of a display device provided in the compressor main body of the air compressor or an external terminal device communicable with the air compressor. An air compressor characterized in that it is configured to transmit information for displaying a display body whose display form changes according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank. The air compressor according to claim 1, wherein the display form of the display body is any of a display area, a shape, or a color of the display body. The air compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank to a preset predetermined pressure value is displayed by the area of the display body with respect to the area of the predetermined region. The air compressor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank to a preset predetermined pressure value is displayed by the emission color of the display body. The control unit includes a load acquisition unit that acquires the load of the motor based on the current value supplied to the motor.
Any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the display screen is configured to display the load of the motor acquired by the load acquisition unit by the emission color of the display body. The air compressor described in the section. The control unit
The motor is driven based on the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit and a predetermined motor starting pressure value which is a pressure value for restarting the motor.
The motor can be controlled to stop the motor based on the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit and a predetermined motor stop pressure value which is a pressure value for stopping the motor.
Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in the second area of the display screen, at least one of the motor starting pressure value and the motor stopping pressure value is displayed. The air compressor described in item 1. The air compressor according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the predetermined pressure value is a motor stop pressure value which is a pressure value for stopping the motor. The display screen is any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the display screen is configured to display the working pressure value of the pneumatic tool connected to the air compressor and driven by the compressed air. The air compressor described in item 1. The display device or the external terminal device includes an operation unit for inputting at least one of the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value.
6. The display screen is configured to display at least one of the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value input by the operation unit. The air compressor described in. It is an air compressor connected to Neira that drives the fastener.
The display screen is driven by the nailer based on the internal pressure information of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit and the information acquired from the nailer connected to the air compressor and driven by the compressed air. The air compressor according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the air compressor is configured to display the number of possible fasteners. An external terminal device capable of wireless communication between an air compressor including a compression mechanism for generating compressed air, a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism, and an air compressor.
A communication unit for receiving internal pressure information of the tank from the air compressor, and
A display unit that displays a display body that changes the display form according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank in a predetermined area of the display screen based on the internal pressure information acquired by the communication unit.
An external terminal device characterized by being provided with. The external terminal device includes an operation unit for inputting at least one of a motor start pressure value and a motor stop pressure value.
The claim is characterized in that the communication unit is configured to transmit information indicating at least one of the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value input by the operation unit to the air compressor. Item 11. The external terminal device according to item 11. The communication unit is configured to receive internal pressure information of the tank at a predetermined cycle.
An interpolated pressure information acquisition unit that acquires interpolated pressure information that interpolates the internal pressure information of the tank based on the internal pressure information of the plurality of tanks received by the communication unit is provided.
Based on the internal pressure information of the tank acquired by the communication unit, the display unit executes a display in which the light emitting area in a predetermined area of the display screen is different in the predetermined cycle, and during the display, the display unit performs the display. 11. The external terminal device described in. A computer program for an external terminal device capable of wireless communication between an air compressor comprising a compression mechanism for generating compressed air and a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism. hand,
A computer program for causing an external terminal device including a display screen and a computer to display a display body whose display form changes according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank in a predetermined area of the display screen. A motor, a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air, a control unit for controlling the motor, a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism, and the tank. An air compressor including a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring the internal pressure of the air compressor, and an air compressor including a control unit for controlling the air compressor.
An external terminal device capable of wireless communication with the air compressor.
A communication unit for receiving internal pressure information of the tank from the air compressor, and
An external terminal including a display unit that displays a display body that changes the display form according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank in a predetermined area of the display screen based on the internal pressure information acquired by the communication unit. With the equipment
A system equipped with.

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