JP2803694B2 - Control system for actuator - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control system for an actuator, and more particularly to, for example, storing information in a manifold itself provided with a solenoid valve as an actuator. The present invention relates to a control system for an actuator, which is provided with a controller having determination, recognition, and control functions, controls individual actuators connected to the manifold itself, and transmits control signals to other manifolds. 2. Description of the Related Art In a fluid control system, when a large number of solenoid valves are used in a device or a machine, a manifold is formed into one block in order to simplify piping work and to reduce a mounting space. It is often done to put together. In this case, it is general that the solenoid coil of each solenoid valve connected to the manifold is individually wired from the controller. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example according to such a conventional technique. That is, in the prior art, the solenoid valve drive control signal from the controller 2 is sent to the solenoid valves 8a to 8d connected to the solenoid valve manifold 6 via the individual wires 4a to 4d and the like. The fluid introduced from the fluid supply conduit 10 urges the actuator 12 and the positioner 14 by the opening and closing operation of the solenoid constituting the solenoid valve. Therefore, the piston 16 moves in the actuator 12, and the piston rod 18 pushes the work 20. The displacements of the piston 16 and the work 20 are detected by the position detection sensors 22 and 24 and the limit switch 26, respectively, and are fed back to the controller 2.
On the other hand, the biasing of the positioner 14 opens the valve 28 and the fluid from the conduit 30 is introduced into the container 32. Container 32
In this configuration, the liquid level is constantly detected by the liquid level gauge 34 and the signal is fed back to the controller 2. [0004] The above is an embodiment showing a very simple relationship between the solenoid valve manifold and the controller. In any case, in the prior art, the controller directly controls each actuator. Sending a signal. Therefore, it takes time to send and receive control signals and the like, and when the actuators try to work in cooperation with each other, there is no way for the actuators to quickly confirm the state of the work with each other. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a control system for an actuator in which a controller is attached to an actuator, a status signal of the actuator is constantly grasped by the controller, and communication with other controllers is possible. [0006] To achieve the Means for Solving the Problems] The object of the present invention, a plurality of units connected by a network, a system for controlling in relation to each other a predetermined target, Each unit has a plurality of solenoid valves (42a to 42a).
g ), the solenoid valves (42a to 42g ) and the solenoid valves (42a to 4
2g ), a sequence controller (44) for controlling peripheral devices of the actuator (54) controlled by the sequence controller (44) is provided, and the sequence controller (44) has a communication device (46) for communicating with other units. ), Input means ( 100a to 100d, 104a to 104d ) or output means ( 96a to 96d, 102a to 102d ) relating to the actuator (54) or the peripheral device;
Power sources (84) for driving these are spatially gathered, and the input means ( 100a to 100a)
d, 104a to 104d ) or the output means ( 96a
To 96d, 102a to 102d ) are address setting devices.
The communication device (46) via respective control modules (90a to 90d) provided with (92a to 92d ).
Are connected by a bus line (94) connected to the According to the control system for an actuator of the present invention,
Block body integrated for multiple actuators
Collectively provide a controller for the actuator
This greatly simplifies wiring and improves the system
The size of the system has been reduced, and
To the other controller
It is possible to transmit the operation state quickly. Next, a preferred embodiment of an actuator control system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 40 denotes a manifold, and a plurality of solenoid valves 42a to 42g are connected to the manifold 40 in series. The manifold 40
Is further provided with a sequence controller 44 and a communication device 46. The communication device 46 is connected to a main controller 50 via an optical fiber 48, for example. Communication device 4
Reference numeral 6 further includes a communication circuit 52 for communicating with a communication device attached to another manifold (not shown). Therefore, in this embodiment, the solenoid valve 42a
Is connected to an actuator 54 constituting a cylinder,
The piston rod 58 connected to the piston 56 of the actuator 54 faces the work 60 outside. The limit switch 62 is arranged in relation to the work 60, and its output side is connected to the sequence controller 44. The output sides of the position detection switches 64a and 64b of the piston 56 provided at both ends of the actuator 54 are also connected to the sequence controller 44 as described above. On the other hand, the solenoid valve 42b has a positioner 66
Connect to The shaft 68 of the positioner 66 is
It is engaged with an opening / closing mechanism (not shown) of the valve 70. A fluid conduit 72 that connects to the valve 70 faces the container 74. A liquid level gauge 76 is provided on the side wall of the container 74, and the output side of the liquid level gauge 76 is connected to the sequence controller 44. A conduit 78 is connected to the bottom of the container 74, and an electromagnetic valve 80 is interposed in the conduit 78.
In this case, the solenoid valve 88 is energized by the sequence controller 44. In the drawing, reference numeral 84 denotes a power supply system, and reference numeral 86 denotes a fluid supply system for supplying a predetermined fluid to the manifold 40. The manifold 40 as a unit configured as described above is connected to and connected to another manifold via an attached communication device 46, so that control signals and the like can be exchanged between the manifolds. This embodiment is shown in FIG. According to this embodiment, the first manifold unit 40a is connected to the main controller 50, and is connected to the second manifold unit 40b and the like via the conducting wire 52a of the communication device 46a owned by itself. The second manifold unit 40b is connected to the third manifold unit 40c and the fourth manifold unit 40d, and so on. In this way, the manifold units can be connected continuously, but even in such a configuration, only one main controller 50 is required. Next, the internal configuration of the manifold unit configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, as can be understood from FIG. 4, each of the sequence controllers 44 constituting the manifold includes at least four control modules 90a to 90
d. The control modules 90a to 90a
0d respectively correspond to the attached address setting units 92a to 92a.
2d, the address of the driver or the input port can be set. Therefore, the control signal transmitted through the bus line 94 finally connected to the optical fiber 48 is selected based on the address to select the driver or the input port. And various signals obtained from the driver and the input port to other manifolds and the main controller 50. For example, the control module 90a
Is a driver 96a for energizing or deactivating the solenoid valve group (A).
To 96d based on the address. In this case, the control states of the respective solenoid valves of the respective drivers 96a to 96d are signalized, and this signal is
The bus line 9 is received by the control module 90a.
4. It is sent from the communication device 46 to the main controller 50 or another manifold unit via the second control module 98. The control module 90b includes input ports 100a to 100a to be connected to the actuator 54 and the like.
Information is exchanged with 0d. That is, the actuator detection signal and the manifold state detection signal (B)
Are based on the addresses determined in association with the individual actuators and the like.
To the control module 90b, and the bus line 94 and the second control module 98 as described above.
Is sent from the communication device 46 to the main controller 50 or another manifold unit. Further, the control module 90c
Sends a control signal of the peripheral device obtained by the bus line 94 to the drivers 102a to 102d based on the address, and each of the drivers 102a to 102d sends a signal to the peripheral device control signal generator 104, and Is supplied to the main controller 50 or another manifold unit via the bus line 94 and the second control module 98. Further, the control module 90
d indicates the detection signals (D) of the peripheral devices such as the limit switch 62 and the liquid level gauge 76 by input ports 104a to 104a.
4d, and sends it to the main controller 50 or another manifold unit with an address. Next, the control module 90a
90d and the control module 98 will be described with reference to FIGS. As will be understood from the drawing, the two control modules have substantially the same configuration. That is, each of the control modules 90a to 90d has a microprocessor 110 and a memory 112, and further has an input / output circuit 114 connected to the address setting units 92a to 92d, respectively. On the other hand, the control module 98 controls the microprocessor 11
6, a memory 118 and a communication input / output circuit 120. The input / output circuit 120
Signals are exchanged with the main controller 50 or another manifold unit via the control unit 6. The actuator control system according to the present invention is basically configured as described above.
Next, the operation and effect will be described. In a state where predetermined voltages, currents, and fluids are supplied from the power supply system 84 and the fluid supply system 86 via the respective manifold units, the main controller 50
Sends a control signal via an optical fiber or a conductor 48. In this case, the main controller is preferably a programmable controller. Therefore, the output signal also includes an address signal and a data signal, and sends these as serial signals to the first manifold unit. This signal, once received by the communication device 46,
If there is an address signal related to its own manifold unit incorporated in the communication input / output circuit of the control module 90, it is taken together with the data signal and sent to the control module 90 of the next stage, while an address irrelevant to its own manifold unit If it is a signal, it is sent to another manifold unit via the communication circuit 52, and so on. Then, the signal introduced into the control module 90 is subjected to predetermined arithmetic processing in the microprocessor 110, the signal information is temporarily stored in the memory 112, and the signal is electromagnetically transmitted via a serial / parallel converter (not shown). The control signals are sent to the valves 42a to 42g based on the respective addresses. As a result, each of the solenoid valves controls opening and closing of a built-in valve, for example,
The displacement operation of the actuator 54, the valve opening operation of the valve 70 by the positioner 66, and the like are performed. On the other hand, the piston 5 in the actuator 54
The movement of 6 is detected by the position detection switch 64a or 64b, and the movement of the work 60 is also detected by the limit switch 62. These detection signals are
Once received by the sequence controller 44, that is, the control module 90, is recorded in the memory 112, and is also sent to other manifold units and the main controller 50 via the bus line 94. In this case, the control module 90 controls the microprocessor 11
0 to the address setting device 92
The data signal and the address signal related to the position detection are sent to the control module 98 via the communication device 46, and these signals are derived to the outside via the communication device 46. Of course, the detection signal of the liquid level gauge 76 is also processed in the same manner. As is evident from the above, according to the present invention, an integrated blower for a plurality of actuators is provided .
The controller of the actuator is integrated in the
This will significantly simplify the wiring, and
The size of the system can be reduced. Also,
Communication devices are attached to the centralized controller.
And input means connected to the actuator or
Output means is connected to the bus line via the control module.
By combining them, shortening of wiring etc. is achieved in the same way as described above.
To other controllers
To quickly transmit the operating status of its own actuator
Both can be possible. Further, according to the present invention, simplification of a complicated wiring circuit between the main controller and the controller is promoted,
As a result, remarkable effects are obtained, such as reduction of the wiring occupation area and reduction of the wiring cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a solenoid valve manifold and a controller according to a conventional technique. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a controller, an actuator, and a controller according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a state where a plurality of manifolds shown in FIG. 2 are arranged. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a signal transmission / reception state of each solenoid valve manifold unit. FIG. 5 is an internal explanatory diagram of the control module. FIG. 6 is an internal explanatory diagram of the control module. [Description of Signs] 40 ... manifold unit 42 ... solenoid valve 44 ... sequence controller 46 ... communication device 48 ... optical fiber 50 ... main controller 52 ... communication circuit 54 ... actuator 56 ... piston 58 ... piston rod 60 ... work 62 ... Limit switch 64 Position detection switch 66 Positioner 68 Shaft 70 Opening / closing mechanism 72 Fluid conduit 74 Container 76 Liquid level meter 78 Duct 80 Solenoid valve 84 Power supply system 86 Fluid supply system 90 Control module 92 ... Address setting device 94 ... Bus line 96 ... Driver 98 ... Control module 100 ... Input port 102 ... Driver 104 ... Input port 110 ... CPU 112 ... Memory 114 ... I / O circuit 116 ... Microprocessor 118 ... Memory 120 ... I / O circuit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A system in which a plurality of units are connected by a network to control a predetermined object in relation to each other, wherein each unit includes a manifold (40) in which a plurality of electromagnetic valves (42a to 42g ) are integrated, Each of the solenoid valves (42
a to 42g ) and a peripheral controller of an actuator (54) controlled by each of the solenoid valves (42a to 42g ). A sequence controller (44) is provided, and the sequence controller (44) includes: A communication device (46) for communicating with another unit , the actuator (54), or input means ( 10 ) related to the peripheral device.
0a to 100d, 104a to 104d ) or output means ( 96a to 96d, 102a to 102d ) and a power source (84) for driving them are spatially gathered, and the input means ( 100a to 100d) , 104
a to 104d ) or the output means ( 96a to 96d,
102a~102d), the address setting device (92a~9
Each of the control module with 2d) (90 a
90d ), the actuator control system being assembled by a bus line (94) connected to the communication device (46).