JP2015090848A - Rotary electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rotary electric connector of simple structure, capable of operation while stably supplying voltage and current without a change of electric contact resistance if continuously used for a long period.SOLUTION: The rotary electric connector includes: a housing member having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface; a first terminal member fixed to a part of the housing member; a second terminal member relatively rotatable to the housing member; a plurality of rotors disposed between the housing member and the second terminal member; and magnets provided on the first and second terminal members with mutually repulsive polarities.

Description

The present invention relates to a rotating electrical connector that connects a rotating body such as a power supply roll or a thermocompression bonding roll for a surface treatment apparatus without interrupting current.

When surface treatment such as electroplating is performed on a hoop-like metal material or resin film member, the material to be plated is immersed in the plating solution stored in the plating tank while continuously running, A reel-to-reel plating facility that performs electrolytic surface treatment between a material to be plated that becomes a cathode electrode by contact and an anode electrode provided in a plating tank is used.
In addition, when surface treatment is performed on a metal material formed in a strip shape, while the strip-shaped metal material is transported by a plurality of transport rollers prepared in the traveling direction, the plating solution stored in the plating tank A roller-conveying strip plating facility that performs electrolytic surface treatment between a material to be plated that becomes a cathode electrode by contact with an energizing roll member and an anode electrode provided in a plating tank is used.
In such a plating facility, the energizing roll member that supplies current to the material to be plated is continuously rotated in synchronism with the conveyance of the product without interruption of the current even when instantaneously, and is contacted with the material to be plated for plating. The function to continue supplying the necessary current is required. Therefore, a method of connecting a primary side wiring material supplied from a plating power source and a current-carrying roll member on the secondary side with a rotary electric connector is widely used. Has been made.
According to the contents described in Patent Document 1, in a rotating electrical connector called a general slip ring, power is supplied and a signal is transmitted between a rotating side electrode and a fixed side electrode, whereby the rotating portion and the fixed portion are connected. Although power supply and signal transmission can be performed between them, the fixed side electrode is pressed against the rotating side electrode and used while slipping each other. It is said that friction occurs at the contact portion, and the rotation life of the rotary electrical connector is not sufficient due to the generation of frictional heat and the wear of the rotating side electrode and the fixed side electrode, and there are problems such as a large rotating torque.
In order to improve the above problems, the area and contact pressure of the contact portion between the rotating electrode and the fixed electrode must be reduced, the electrical resistance of the contact portion is increased, and the electric power due to the intermittent contact portion is increased. In addition to the above-described problems, in addition to the above-described problems, a problem occurs in that a noise that is likely to occur is generated, and a relatively large current flows. It is said that it is necessary to perform regular maintenance and inspection to clean carbon powder generated by wear.
Furthermore, in the case of a rotary electrical connector using mercury, since the liquid mercury is interposed between the rotation side electrode and the fixed side electrode, the contact area is large, and the electrical resistance of the contact portion is small, Although there is an advantage that no electrical noise is generated due to intermittent contact, since the mercury interposed between the rotating side electrode and the stationary side electrode is sealed by the sealing member, the frictional force of the sealing surface of the sealing member Causes a problem that the rotational torque increases, and when mercury leaks from the seal member due to impact or a small scratch on the seal surface, a problem such as a short circuit with other electrodes occurs. Mercury is a toxic substance and must be handled with great care.
In the prior art, in order to solve these problems, the rotational life of the rotary electrical connector is long, the rotational torque is small, no electrical noise is generated due to intermittent contact, and the electrical resistance of the contact is low. A rotating electrical connector is provided, and as a solving means, provided on a rotating side electrode that is attached to the rotating part and rotates together with the rotating part, and a fixed part that supports the rotating part, and is electrically connected to the rotating side electrode. A rotating electrical connector including a fixed-side electrode that performs power supply and signal transmission between the rotating-side electrode and the fixed-side electrode, and a spherical shape that acts as a roller between the rotating-side electrode 101 and the fixed-side electrode 102; A plurality of rotating contacts 103 made of a cylindrical or conical conductive metal material are provided, and the plurality of rotating contacts 103 are brought into contact with the rotating side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode 102. It allows have to be rotating electrical connector, characterized in that for electrical connection between the fixed electrode 102 and the rotation-side electrode 101.
As a result, a plurality of rotary contacts 103 acting as rollers are disposed between the rotary side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode 102 constituting the rotary electrical connector, so that the rotary side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode are arranged. The friction between the rotating electrical connector 102 and the rotating side electrode 101 and the stationary side electrode 102 can be prevented, and the life of the rotating electrical connector can be extended. The rotational torque of the connector is said to be small.
Further, since the plurality of rotating contacts 103 are interposed between the rotating side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode 102, the rotating side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode 102 come into contact at a plurality of contacts, As the electrical resistance decreases, the rotating side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode 102 come into contact with each other at a plurality of contacts. Since it is considered that there is almost no sagging, the generation of electrical noise due to the intermittent contact between the rotating side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode 102 is prevented.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-223346

In recent years, especially for devices that require high reliability in semiconductor components, the quality requirements of electronic components mounted inside have increased along with the improvement in performance, greatly affecting the durability, electrical characteristics, semiconductor device mounting characteristics, etc. High quality is required for the plating process. In particular, in the plating process, it is particularly important to improve the accuracy of current control that greatly affects the deposition state of the plating film, and it can be said that it is essential to improve the stability and reliability of the electrical connection required for the energizing roll member.
Based on the above, the rotary electrical connector of the prior art document shown in FIG. 5 has the following problems.
In the prior art, a plurality of rotary contacts 103 acting as rollers are disposed between the rotary electrode 101 and the fixed electrode 102 constituting the rotary electrical connector. Friction with the electrode 102 can be reduced, generation of frictional heat due to friction and wear of the rotating side electrode 101 and the stationary side electrode 102 can be prevented, and the life of the rotating electrical connector can be extended, and rotation Although the rotational torque of the electrical connector is reduced, the rotation side electrode 101, the fixed side electrode 102, and the contactor 103 acting as a roller have the same configuration as a bearing (deep groove ball bearing, roller bearing) that is a general mechanical part. As a result, the radial and thrust loads applied to the rotation-side electrode 101 and the fixed-side electrode 102 cause slight wear on each component. It is unavoidable that the contact pressure may decrease with the passage of time due to a gap in the combination of the contactor 103 and the rotation-side electrode 101 and the fixed-side electrode 102. It seems that the lifetime is not sufficient.
When this structure is used as a bearing, which is a mechanical component, the friction that occurs in the rotation changes due to a change in load, or only the center axis of the rotating shaft is generated, but it can be used as a rotating electrical connector as in the prior art. In this case, since an electric circuit is formed from the fixed side electrode 102 to the rotation side electrode 101 via the contactor 103, even if the respective contact pressures are slightly reduced, the electrical contact resistance may increase. Conceivable. This has a higher risk of causing problems as the rotating electrical connector is used for a longer period of time. It can be easily estimated that the current voltage changes due to the increase of the electrical contact resistance, and the change of the current voltage, which is an important condition management item, has a great influence on the formation of the plating film. it is conceivable that.
In addition, a method of dividing the fixed-side electrode 102 into a plurality of pieces and elastically pressing the fixed-side electrode 102 toward the rotation-side electrode 101 side has been proposed, but in that case, a plurality of divided fixed-side electrodes, a newly provided elastic member, and A considerable increase in the number of parts, such as a fixing member for driving the divided fixed side electrode by attaching an elastic member, is considered, so it is inevitable that the cost for manufacturing the rotary electrical connector increases. .
The present invention has been made to solve these problems in the prior art, and the object of the present invention is to simplify the structure and change the electrical contact resistance even when continuously used for a long period of time. It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotary electrical connector that can operate while supplying a stable current voltage.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the configuration of the present invention includes a housing member whose inner peripheral surface is circular, a first terminal member fixed to one end of the housing member, and a rotation relative to the housing member. A free second terminal member, a plurality of rotors disposed between the housing member and the second terminal member, and a magnet having a polarity that repels each of the first terminal member and the second terminal member. The first terminal member and the second terminal member are electrically connected via the housing and the rotor.

As described above, according to the rotary electrical connector of the present invention, a structure in which the current applied to the first terminal member is energized to the fixed housing member and flows to the second terminal member via the rotor. It is. In addition, in order for the housing member and the second terminal member to rotate while sandwiching the rotor with a constant load, magnets are attached to the first terminal member and the second terminal member with polarities that repel each other. ing. Even when the rotor and the terminal member are worn by this, the dimensional change can be absorbed by the repulsive force of the magnet. Therefore, the combination of the contact 103, the rotating side electrode 101, and the fixed side electrode 102, which is a concern in the prior art. As a result, the contact pressure does not decrease with time.
Even when the rotary electric connector of the present invention is used for a long period of time, the housing member and the first terminal member are rotated while the rotor is always sandwiched with a constant load by the repulsive action of the magnet. The risk of causing problems due to increased resistance can be significantly reduced. By stabilizing the electrical contact resistance, it is possible to suppress a change in current voltage, which is an important condition management item in electroplating, and to make the formation of the plating film more stable. Moreover, since the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the conventional technique in which the fixed-side electrode 102 is divided into a plurality of parts and elastically pressed against the rotating-side electrode 101 side, the cost for manufacturing the rotating electrical connector is suppressed. There is also an effect that can be achieved.
As described above, according to the present invention, the structure is simple, and even when used continuously for a long period of time, the electrical contact resistance does not change and it can operate while supplying a stable current voltage. A rotating electrical connector can be provided.

The perspective view which shows the rotary electrical connector of this invention Aa 'sectional view of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the other structural example (1) in the rotary electrical connector of this invention Sectional drawing which shows the other structural example (2) in the rotary electrical connector of this invention Diagram showing prior art

The rotary electrical connector of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The first terminal member 1, the second terminal member 10, the housing member 6 and the rotor 15, which are main components, are formed of a conductive material. The first terminal member 1 and the housing member 6 are in a fixed relationship, and wiring from a rectifier (not shown) on the primary side can be connected to the upper portion of the first terminal member 1. In addition, an energizing roll (not shown) as a secondary side can be connected to the lower portion of the second terminal member 10. Details of each part will be described below.
The first terminal member 1 is preferably formed of a material having a low electrical resistance such as copper, copper alloy, brass, or aluminum. In the present embodiment, a copper alloy is used. An input-side male screw 2 is provided on the upper portion of the first terminal member 1, and a wiring terminal from the rectifier on the primary side can be fixed using a nut or the like. Further, a circular first terminal member flange portion 3 is formed at the lower portion of the first terminal member 1, and a flange portion external screw 5 for fixing to a housing member 6 described later is formed on the outer periphery. Moreover, the 1st magnet 4 is provided in the bottom face of the 1st terminal member flange part 3, and the magnetic force required in order to repel the 2nd terminal member 10 mentioned later is generated. In this embodiment, a neodymium magnet is used. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a ferrite magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, an alnico magnet, or the like may be selected. This time, a neodymium magnet with a relatively strong magnetic force is used in order to obtain a repulsive force.
As with the first terminal member 1, the housing member 6 is preferably formed of a material having a low electrical resistance such as copper, copper alloy, brass, or aluminum. In this embodiment, a copper alloy is used. The housing member 6 has a cylindrical shape, and the entire upper portion of the cylindrical portion and the vicinity of the center of the bottom portion are opened. A female screw 7 is machined on the inner surface of the upper part of the housing member 6 so as to be fitted with the flange male screw 5 machined on the outer periphery of the first terminal member flange 3 described above. An opening 8 is provided at the bottom of the housing member 6, and a housing member groove 9 for rotating and revolving a rotor 15 described later is formed so as to surround the opening 8 in an annular shape. This groove shape is desirably matched to the shape of the rotor 15, and when the spherical rotor 15 is fitted, the groove shape is preferably an R shape matching the shape of the sphere.
Similar to the housing member 6, the second terminal member 10 is desirably formed of a material having a low electrical resistance such as copper, copper alloy, brass, or aluminum. In the present embodiment, a copper alloy is used. As for the 2nd terminal member 10, the upper part is a flange shape and the output side external thread 11 is formed in the lower part so that the electric power feeding roll etc. which are secondary sides can be connected. Moreover, the 2nd magnet 13 is provided in the upper surface of the 2nd terminal member flange part 12 so that it may oppose with the same polarity as the 1st magnet 4 of the 1st terminal member 1 mentioned above, and the 2nd terminal member 10 is repelled. Magnetic force can be obtained. In this embodiment, a neodymium magnet is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a ferrite magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, an alnico magnet, or the like may be selected according to the environment to be used. In this case, in order to obtain a repulsive force, a neodymium magnet having a relatively strong magnetic force is employed in the same manner as the first magnet 4 provided on the first terminal member 1.
A second terminal member groove 14 for rotating and revolving the rotor 15 is formed on the lower surface of the second terminal member flange portion 12 so as to surround the axis of the output-side male screw 11 in an annular shape. This groove shape is desirably matched to the shape of the rotor 15, and when the spherical rotor 15 is fitted, the groove shape is preferably an R shape matching the shape of the sphere.
As with the second terminal member 10, the rotor 15 is preferably formed of a material having a low electrical resistance such as copper, copper alloy, brass, or aluminum. In this embodiment, a copper alloy is used. The current applied to the first terminal member 1 from the primary side rectifier or the like through the wiring flows into the housing member 6 to which the first terminal member 1 is fixed, and then the second current through the rotor 15. The terminal member 10 is energized. The rotor 15 is disposed between the second terminal member groove portion 14 formed on the lower surface of the second terminal member flange portion 12 and the housing member groove portion 9 provided on the bottom inner surface of the housing member 6. By the repulsive force between the same poles generated by the first magnet 4 provided on the lower surface of the first terminal member 1 fixed to 6 and the second magnet 13 provided on the upper surface of the second terminal member flange portion 12, Since the rotor 15 can be held at a constant pressure at all times, even when the housing member 6 and the second terminal member 10 rotate, the rotor 15 does not drop out of the groove. It has a structure that can continuously rotate while keeping it. Further, in the long-time rotation operation, the annular housing member groove portion 9 provided at the bottom of the rotor 15 and the housing member 6 and the annular second terminal member groove portion provided at the lower surface of the second terminal member flange portion 12. 14, even if wear occurs, due to the repulsive force between the same poles generated by the first magnet 4 provided on the lower surface of the first terminal member 1 and the second magnet 13 provided on the upper surface of the second terminal member 10, Since the rotor 15 can always be held at a constant pressure, the risk of causing a malfunction due to an increase in electrical contact resistance due to a decrease in contact pressure can be significantly reduced.
The position of the rotor 15 is regulated by the rotor holding member 16 so that the rotor 15 is annularly arranged at substantially equal intervals. The rotor holding member 16 may be a metal or a resin, but in the present embodiment, PTFE (tetrafluoroethylene resin) is adopted. Accordingly, the second terminal member 10 can be continuously rotated without the rotor 15 being biased in a specific direction of the annular array. PTFE has a low coefficient of friction and has little influence on the rotational motion of the rotor 15. Moreover, since the heat-resistant temperature is high and the shape stability is excellent, even if the temperature in the rotary electrical connector rises, it can operate without causing problems such as defective rotation due to thermal deformation.
Further, the first terminal member 1, the second terminal member 10, the housing member 6 and the rotor 15 are preferably formed of a material having a relatively low electrical resistance in order to supply current without loss. A metal plating film such as gold or silver may be formed on the surface of the member, and it is possible to prevent a contact from deteriorating and to further stably supply a current by lowering the contact resistance.
Next, FIG. 3 shows another structural example (1) in the rotary electrical connector of the present invention. The tapered terminal member 18 is arranged on both sides of the split housing member 17 and the rotor 15 is combined. According to this, in addition to the effect that the divided housing member 17 can be used as a fixed side and the upper and lower tapered terminal members 18 can be used as rotating terminals on both sides, the inner corner portion of the divided housing member 17 is a rotor. Since it can be used for 15 rotating tracks, groove processing for restricting the rotor 15 in an annular shape is not required, and the manufacturing cost of the rotary electrical connector can be reduced.
Next, FIG. 4 shows another structural example (2) in the rotary electrical connector of the present invention. A cylindrical roller-like rotor 19 is used for the rotary electrical connector of FIG. As a result, the contact area between the tapered terminal member 18 and the split housing member 17 can be increased, and the contact resistance can be reduced. For example, various shapes can be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Can take.
As described above, when the rotary electrical connector of the present invention is used, the current applied to the first terminal member 1 energizes the fixed housing member 6, and passes through the rotor 15 to the second terminal member 10. In addition, the first member 1 fixed to the housing member 6 and the second terminal member 10 are attached with magnets with repulsive polarities, so the rotor 15 For example, even when the rotor 15 or each terminal member is worn, the dimensional change can be absorbed by the repulsive force of the magnet. There is no reduction in contact pressure due to a gap in the combination of the child 103, the rotation side electrode 101 and the fixed side electrode 102. Even if the rotary electrical connector of the present invention is used for a long period of time, the housing member 6 and the second terminal member 10 rotate while always sandwiching the rotor 15 with a constant load due to the repulsive action of the magnet. The risk of causing problems due to an increase in electrical contact resistance can be significantly reduced. That is, by stabilizing the electrical contact resistance, it is possible to suppress a change in current voltage, which is an important condition management item in electroplating, and to make the formation of the plating film more stable.
Moreover, since the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the conventional technique in which the fixed-side electrode 102 is divided into a plurality of parts and elastically pressed against the rotating-side electrode 101 side, the cost for manufacturing the rotating electrical connector can be suppressed. There is also an effect that can be. At the same time, the structure is such that the terminal member and the rotor are sandwiched using magnetic force, so that the frictional resistance between components can be reduced and the rotational torque can be reduced.
As described above, according to the present invention, the structure is simple, and even when used continuously for a long period of time, the electrical contact resistance does not change and it can operate while supplying a stable current voltage. A rotating electrical connector can be provided.

Even when the structure is simple and it is used continuously for a long period of time, the electrical contact resistance does not change, and it can be used when a rotating electrical connector that can operate while supplying a stable current voltage is required.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st terminal member 2 Input side external thread 3 1st terminal member flange part 4 1st magnet 5 Flange part external thread 6 Housing member 7 Female thread 8 Opening part 9 Housing member groove part 10 2nd terminal member 11 Output side external thread 12 Second terminal member flange portion 13 Second magnet 14 Second terminal member groove portion 15 Rotor 16 Rotor holding member 17 Divided housing member 18 Tapered terminal member 19 Roller-shaped rotor 101 Rotating side electrode 102 Fixed side electrode 103 Rotating contact Child

Claims (1)

A housing member whose inner peripheral surface is cylindrical, a first terminal member fixed to a part of the housing member, a second terminal member rotatable relative to the housing member, the housing member, and A plurality of rotors disposed between the second terminal members; and a magnet provided with a polarity that repels each of the first terminal members and the second terminal members; and the housing and the rotor The rotary electrical connector is characterized in that the first terminal member and the second terminal member are electrically connected via each other.

Images