JP2011198730A - Movable heating system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a movable heating system capable of performing uniform heating effects to various heated objects and achieving expansion of an applying scope and improvement of versatility on an IH technology.SOLUTION: A typical structure of movable heating systems 100, 200 has an induction heater 110 for heating a heated object 140 with electromagnetic induction, a robot arm 120 having the induction heater 110, and a controller 150 for moving the robot arm 120 so as to make the induction heater 110 run along the heated object 140. The controller 150 can control at least one of output of the induction heater 110, a heating time of the induction heater 110, and moving speed for moving the robot arm 120.

Description

  The present invention relates to a movable heating system capable of moving an induction heating means for heating an object to be heated by electromagnetic induction.

  In recent years, induction heating technology is not limited to household cooking utensils, but is also used for industrial purposes such as heat treatment use (quenching, annealing) at a manufacturing site and drying application in a painting process (see Non-Patent Document 1). On the other hand, induction heating (IH: Induction Heating, hereinafter referred to as IH) has a characteristic that the heating effect varies depending on the distance to the object to be heated (product) or the shape or material of the object to be heated.

  At present, the shape, heating output, and applied frequency of the IH coil are examined in advance for each object to be heated, and the applicability is determined. In general, since it is necessary to replace and adjust the IH coil every time the heated object is changed, it is difficult to apply the IH technology to multi-product production. In addition, since it is difficult to design the shape of the IH coil so that the object to be heated has a complicated shape, the application of the IH technique to the object to be heated is also difficult.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for always maintaining an appropriate distance for heating between an IH coil and an object to be heated by using an industrial robot. Accordingly, high-frequency induction heating can be appropriately performed regardless of the shape of the heating target region.

JP 2002-343544 A

“Jou-lo”, Takubo Engineering Co., Ltd., [online], [Search on February 9, 2010], Internet <URL: http://www.takubo.co.jp/j/column/archives/2007/ 20071219_2.html>

  Although the technique of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 can surely hold the distance between them at an appropriate distance for heating, it is impossible to achieve a uniform heating effect for various objects to be heated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and can provide a uniform heating effect for various objects to be heated, and can expand the application range of IH technology and improve versatility. An object is to provide a movable heating system.

  In order to solve the above problems, a representative configuration of a movable heating system according to the present invention includes an induction heating unit that heats an object to be heated by electromagnetic induction, a robot arm provided with the induction heating unit, and an induction heating unit. And a control unit that moves the robot arm so as to follow the object to be heated. The control unit has at least one of the output of the induction heating unit, the heating time by the induction heating unit, or the moving speed of moving the robot arm. It is characterized by controlling one.

  According to such a configuration, the induction heating unit is movable by being coupled with the robot arm, and the control unit is configured to control the output of the induction heating unit, the heating time, and the moving speed for moving the robot arm. Any shape of the body can be suitably heated.

  The induction heating means may be constructed by arranging a plurality of induction heating coils. Thereby, a control part controls the output of each induction heating means, and finer adjustment of the heating degree of a to-be-heated body is attained.

  The plurality of induction heating coils may have different shapes and sizes so that the heating surface faces the object to be heated. Specifically, the induction heating means can be constructed not as a general circular coil but as a quadrangular shape or a three-dimensional shape according to the object to be heated. Thereby, it is possible to heat a to-be-heated body uniformly.

  In addition to the induction heating means, any one or more of infrared heating means, microwave heating means, and resistance heating means may be further provided. According to this structure, each heating means can be used properly according to the characteristic, or can be used together. As a result, it is possible to suitably cope with each of various types of production.

  It is preferable to further include a heated body moving mechanism capable of moving the heated body relative to the induction heating means. This makes it possible to adjust the degree of heating by moving the heated object side.

  The apparatus may further include a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the object to be heated, and the control unit may feedback control at least one of the output, the heating time, or the moving speed based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. According to this configuration, the heated body can be heated while detecting the degree of heating of the heated body by the temperature sensor. Therefore, a uniform (homogeneous) heating effect can be achieved regardless of the shape and material of the heated object. As a result, the application range of the IH technology can be expanded and versatility can be improved.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a movable heating system that can achieve a uniform heating effect on various objects to be heated, and can expand the application range of IH technology and improve versatility.

It is a figure explaining the movable heating system concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a figure explaining an induction heating means. It is a figure which illustrates a three-dimensional distance sensor. It is a figure explaining the movable heating system concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the movable heating system concerning 3rd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated. To do.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a movable heating system 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the movable heating system 100 is used, for example, for drying the heated object 140. The heated body 140 is transported by a transport device 142 as a heated body moving mechanism and dried while passing through the movable heating system 100. The transport device 142 can move the heated object 140 with respect to the movable heating system 100 (induction heating means 110), and can correct the relative positional relationship.

  The movable heating system 100 uses the induction heating means 110 provided at the distal end portion 122d of the robot arm 120 (industrial robot), and heats the object to be heated 140 while detecting the degree of heating by the temperature sensor 130. Such heating control is performed by the control unit 150.

  The robot arm 120 can be rotated by the base 120a, the connecting part 120b, and the second connecting part 120c, and accurately moves the induction heating means 110 along the object 140 to be heated based on a command from the control part 150. .

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the induction heating unit 110. The induction heating means 110 is constructed by arranging a plurality of coils such that the heating surface faces the heated object 140. It is assumed that the induction heating means 110 is smaller than the heated body 140 (the area to be heated of the heated body 140 is larger than the effective heating area by the induction heating means 110).

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the induction heating means 110 is constructed as an array coil that is an aggregate of a plurality of IH coils 110a. In general, the IH coil 110a is circular, but by arranging a plurality of IH coils 110a in this way, a heating surface having an arbitrary shape (here, rectangular shape) can be constructed as a whole.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the induction heating unit 110 may be constructed by concentrically arranging a circular IH coil 110b and a square IH coil 110c.

  In other words, the induction heating means 110 is formed into a shape suitable for various heated objects 140 by combining a plurality of IH coils having various shapes and sizes. Thereby, the to-be-heated body 140 can be heated uniformly.

  In addition, as shown in FIG.2 (c), you may form the IH coil as the induction heating means 110 with a printed pattern. As a result, it is possible to reduce variations in IH coils.

  The temperature sensor 130 is a three-dimensional thermo camera (thermography), and detects the temperature distribution of the heated object 140 in three dimensions from the intensity of heat rays (infrared rays) in the imaging region. The measurement data of the object to be heated 140 is transmitted as a signal to the control unit 150.

  The three-dimensional distance sensor 132 is an instrument that measures the distance from the heated object 140 in three dimensions. Measurement data of the three-dimensional distance sensor 132 is transmitted to the control unit 150 as a signal.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the three-dimensional distance sensor 132. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the three-dimensional distance sensor 132 irradiates a laser from, for example, an optical fiber 132 a, acquires a reflected wave, and measures the distance from the phase difference of the laser to the target X.

  The high frequency power supply unit 112 includes an inverter and a circuit that applies a high frequency current from the inverter to the induction heating unit 110. The high frequency power source unit 112 applies a high frequency current to each IH coil constituting the induction heating unit 110 under the control of the control unit 150.

  The control unit 150 manages and controls the entire system by a semiconductor integrated circuit including a central processing unit (CPU). Further, the program stored in the storage unit 152 is executed to move the robot arm 120 appropriately.

  In addition, the control unit 150 processes the transmission signal from the three-dimensional distance sensor 132 in real time, and feedback-controls the robot arm 120 based on the distance to the heated object 140. That is, contact of the robot arm 120 (induction heating unit 110) with the object 140 to be heated is avoided, and the induction heating unit 110 is moved while maintaining an appropriate distance so that the object 140 to be heated is suitably heated.

  The storage unit 152 includes a ROM, a RAM, an EEPROM, a nonvolatile RAM, a flash memory, an HDD, and the like. A program used in the system (operation sequence of the robot arm 120), various data, and a temperature distribution detected by the temperature sensor 130. Memorize etc.

  When the movable heating system 100 does not have the three-dimensional distance sensor 132, movement coordinate data considering the shape of the heated object 140 is input to the operation sequence of the robot arm 120 and stored in the storage unit 152. It is good to be done.

  The display unit 154 includes a liquid crystal display, EL (Electro Luminescence), PDP (Plasma Display Panel), and the like, and displays a program being executed in the system to an administrator (operator). The movable heating system 100 may include a network communication unit (not shown) so that information acquired from the outside via the network can be displayed to the administrator.

  The operation unit 156 includes a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, and the like, and receives an operation input from an administrator. By the operation from the operation unit 156, the data stored in the storage unit 152 can be rewritten or added.

  In the above configuration, the control unit 150 stores the temperature distribution measurement data transmitted from the temperature sensor 130 in the storage unit 152. Then, the temperature distribution can be integrated to calculate the heating amount (heating amount distribution) of each part of the heated body 140.

  Thus, the control unit 150 feedback-controls the robot arm 120 based on the degree of heating of the heated object 140. That is, the output of the induction heating unit 110 is controlled, the heating time by the induction heating unit 110 is adjusted, and the moving speed at which the robot arm 120 is moved is adjusted.

  Specifically, as a basic operation, the control unit 150 scans the induction heating unit 110 (temperature sensor 130) in the width direction of the body 140 to be heated (scan line) at every constant width. At this time, for example, if a rib stands on the back surface of the object 140 to be heated or if the thickness is partially thick, the temperature is difficult to increase because the heat capacity is increased only in that portion. In addition, the induction heating unit 110 may not be close to the heated body 140, such as when there are fine irregularities compared to the size of the induction heating unit 110, or when the heated body 140 has protrusions. In such a case, the detected temperature does not rise to a desired temperature. Further, depending on the shape and material of the heated object 140, the heated object 140 may locally exceed the desired temperature. Therefore, the output of the induction heating unit 110 can be locally adjusted according to the detected temperature. As a result, a uniform heating effect can be achieved regardless of the shape, material, size, etc. of the heated object 140 and without necessarily adjusting the heating time and the moving speed of the robot arm 120.

  However, in other words, even if the output of the induction heating unit 110 is constant, it is possible to achieve a uniform heating effect by adjusting the heating time and the moving speed of the robot arm 120. In the present embodiment, in addition to the above output control, the control unit 150 also adjusts the heating time and the moving speed, thereby further improving the accuracy.

  That is, both the heating time and the moving speed are set such that the temperature distribution detected by the temperature sensor 130 is integrated and the amount of heat sufficient for the heat treatment is given. The width (interval) for scanning the induction heating unit 110 is basically the width of the induction heating unit 110, but can also be dynamically set based on the integrated temperature distribution. For example, the scanning width can be increased in the case of the heated object 140 having good heat conductivity, and the scanning width can be set to be overlapped in the case of the heated object 140 having low heat conductivity. Thereby, even if the small induction heating means 110 is used with respect to the to-be-heated body 140, the to-be-heated body 140 can be reliably dried with high precision.

  As described above, according to the movable heating system 100 described above, since the robot arm 120 is dynamically controlled at the target temperature, a uniform heating effect can be exerted on the heated object 140. As a result, the application range of the IH technology can be expanded and versatility can be improved.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a movable heating system 200 according to the second embodiment.
4A is an external view of the movable heating system 200, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the heating means at the tips of the robot arms 120 and 220.

  The difference of the movable heating system 200 according to the second embodiment from the first embodiment is the heating means provided in the robot arm 220 and the tip 220d thereof. That is, the second embodiment is a so-called hybrid system in which the heating target 140 is heated by using the heating means of the robot arm 220 together with the induction heating means 110 of the robot arm 120.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, an infrared heating means 222 that heats the heated object 140 with infrared rays, a microwave heating means 224 that heats the heated object 140 with microwaves, Or the resistance heating means 226 which heats the to-be-heated body 140 by resistance heating is provided.

  The induction heating means 110 is a method of directly heating the heated object 140 by causing a high-frequency current to flow through the IH coil and applying a magnetic field to the heated object 140 to generate an eddy current. Thus, the heated object 140 is easily heated from the inside.

  On the other hand, for example, the infrared heating means 222 irradiates infrared rays to heat the heated object 140. Therefore, the to-be-heated body 140 is normally heated from the outside. Thus, by appropriately using or using heating means having different properties according to the characteristics, it is possible to ensure good responsiveness to multi-product production.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the movable heating system 200 includes the control unit 150 and the like described above, and other heating means (here, infrared heating means 222) of the robot arm 120 and the induction heating means 110 of the robot arm 120. ) Is moved along the object 140 to be heated.

  4A and 4B, for convenience, the high-frequency power supply unit 112, the control unit 150, the storage unit 152, the display unit 154, and the operation unit 156 are not shown, but the movable heating system 200 is the first one. These elements are assumed to be similar to the embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, the two robot arms 120 and 220 are provided. However, a system may be constructed by providing three or more robot arms. Of course, a plurality of robot arms 120 including the induction heating means 110 may be provided. In this case, the high frequency power supply unit 112 may be shared, and a high frequency current may be applied from one inverter to the induction heating means 110 of the plurality of robot arms 120.

[Third embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a movable heating system 300 according to the third embodiment. Unlike the second embodiment, the movable heating system 300 includes a plurality of heating means at the tip of one robot arm 120. Here, the induction heating means 110 and the infrared heating means 222 are provided at the tip 120 d of the robot arm 120.

  As described above, the robot arm 120 can be rotated by the base portion 120a, the connecting portion 120b, and the second connecting portion 120c, and the angle (direction, direction) of the distal end portion 120d can be arbitrarily changed. Therefore, the object 140 to be heated can be optimally heated using the induction heating unit 110 and / or the infrared heating unit 222 in a posture supported by the control unit 150.

  That is, similarly to the second embodiment, heating means having different properties can be properly used or used in accordance with the characteristics, and good responsiveness to multi-product production can be ensured. For example, in the drying step, after the surface is first dried by the infrared heating means 222, the base material can be heated by the induction heating means 110 and dried from the inside. Depending on the properties of the paint, the base material may be heated first. Although omitted in FIG. 5, the high-frequency power supply unit 112, the control unit 150, the storage unit 152, and the display unit 154 are also included in the movable heating system 300 as in the movable heating system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. And an operation unit 156.

  As described above, according to the configuration described above, it is possible to expand the application range of the IH technology and improve versatility. As a result, hot air drying by other heat sources (heat sources other than IH) contributes to the expansion of the electric heating market in the mainstream drying process and can provide a technology that can realize significant demand development.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described referring an accompanying drawing, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to the example which concerns. For example, in the above, the movable heating system 100, 200, 300 is exemplified as being used for the drying process, but it can be used for heat treatment such as quenching. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention can be utilized as a movable heating system which can move the induction heating means which heats a to-be-heated body by electromagnetic induction.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100, 200, 300 ... Movable heating system, 110 ... Induction heating means, 110a-110c ... IH coil, 110d, 220d ... Tip part, 112 ... High frequency power supply part, 120, 220 ... Robot arm, 120a ... Base part, 120b ... Connection part, 120c ... 2nd connection part, 130 ... Temperature sensor, 132 ... Three-dimensional distance sensor, 132a ... Optical fiber, 140 ... Heated object, 142 ... Conveyance device, 150 ... Control part, 152 ... Storage part, 154 ... Display Part, 156 ... operation part, 222 ... infrared heating means, 224 ... microwave heating means, 226 ... resistance heating means

Claims (6)

Induction heating means for heating an object to be heated by electromagnetic induction;
A robot arm provided with the induction heating means;
A control unit that moves the robot arm so that the induction heating means follows the object to be heated;
The control unit controls at least one of an output of the induction heating unit, a heating time by the induction heating unit, or a moving speed for moving the robot arm.   The movable heating system according to claim 1, wherein the induction heating means is constructed by arranging a plurality of induction heating coils.   The movable heating system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of induction heating coils have different shapes and sizes so that the heating surface faces the object to be heated.   The movable heating system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising one or more of an infrared heating unit, a microwave heating unit, and a resistance heating unit in addition to the induction heating unit. .   The movable heating system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a heated body movable mechanism capable of moving the heated body with respect to the induction heating means. A temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the object to be heated;
6. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs feedback control on at least one of the output, the heating time, and the moving speed based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. The movable heating system described.

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