JP3439482B2 - Fluid equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fluid device, preferably a vacuum device used together with a pneumatic device, and more particularly, a fluid device which can be easily replaced or reconfigured according to a work target or a failure at a work site. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, fluid equipment such as vacuum equipment has been used as follows. That is, in order to meet various needs, vacuum equipment that uses an ejector, vacuum pump, or other vacuum source as a vacuum source is divided into functional blocks such as a vacuum source, a vacuum or pressure fluid supply valve, a vacuum break valve, and a pressure switch. It is composed by recombination.

The block bodies divided according to these functions are connected to each other by screws or the like, and the fluid passages are connected on the connection surface. To connect the fluid passages, an O-ring or a gasket is sandwiched between the connection surfaces, and a connector or the like is used. This connecting surface configuration is designed with the two specific surfaces to be connected in mind.

FIG. 14 shows a combination of block bodies of a vacuum device according to a conventional example. This vacuum device uses an ejector as a vacuum source and is divided according to functions such as valves and switches. The vacuum equipment is basically selected from a pressure fluid supply valve, a valve block group 2 having a vacuum break valve, an ejector block group 4 having an ejector and an exhaust silencer, and a filter block group 6 having a pressure switch and a filter. It is composed by combining. Block bodies 8a to 8d, 10a to 10d, and 12 which form the respective groups 2, 4, and 6
a to 12d are compatible.

In constructing the vacuum equipment, the block body 8 is used.
A connecting surface 16 of one of a to 8d and one of the block bodies 10a to 10d via the interface plate 14
And 18 and then connected with screws 20. Further, one of the block bodies 10a to 10d and one of the block bodies 12a to 12d are connected at connection surfaces 22 and 24, and then these are connected by a screw 20. In this way, a vacuum device having a desired function is constructed.

[0006]

However, when the vacuum device is constructed as described above, the following inconvenience occurs. That is, if the block bodies 8a to 8d, 10a to 10d, and 12a to 12d are recombined in order to change the performance or function of the vacuum equipment according to the purpose at the work site, not only the knowledge of the combination but also the connection surface 16 , 18 and 22, 24 for gasket sealing skills, tools for connection with screws 20, and block bodies 8a-8d, 10a-10d, 12a-1.
Knowledge of the type of screw 20 corresponding to the selection of 2d is required.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 in the conventional example, when connecting the fluid passages 30a and 30b by connecting the block bodies 26a and 26b with screws 28,
Depending on the method of tightening the screw 28, as shown in FIG. 16, a problem occurs in the state of the O-ring 32, which causes a problem that the airtightness is deteriorated. Therefore, it is virtually impossible to relocate at the work site, and recomposition is limited at the time of shipment. These problems also exist with other fluid devices.

The present invention solves this kind of problem, and provides a fluid device which can be replaced at the work site according to the function and performance of the fluid device or which can be easily replaced when a failure occurs.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a fluid device constituted by connecting a plurality of block bodies having different functions, wherein the block body is a connection surface or its vicinity. A fluid passage connecting portion, an electric signal connecting portion, and a block body engaging portion for connecting the block body, and the block body engaging portion extends in the longitudinal direction of the block body. engaging groove formed at a portion adjacent the extended Mashimashi connection surface provided Te made U-shaped cross section of the frame along the three sides of the adjacent one and the other block body, one of the frame body By sliding along the engaging groove of the block body and the engaging groove of the other block body, respectively, has a connecting member for connecting the adjacent one and the other block body, the block body, at least, Con It includes a roll block body, a valve block body, a pressure switch block body, an ejector block body, a filter block body, and a base block body, and each of the selected desired block bodies is exchangeably connected via the connection member. Characterize.

[0010]

In the fluid device according to the present invention, the block body has a connection surface comprising a functional unit corresponding to the same place, the contact
The connecting portion along the engaging groove formed in the portion close to the connecting surface
By sliding the material, through this connecting member
The adjacent one and the other block bodies can be easily connected to each other.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A fluid device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to preferred embodiments. Hereinafter, the vacuum device will be described in all cases, but needless to say, the vacuum device is not limited to the vacuum device and can be applied to other fluid devices.

A first reference example will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 60 indicates a vacuum device composed of a plurality of block bodies each having a connection surface having a predetermined functional portion at the same position. The vacuum device 60 basically includes a filter block body 62, a pressure switch block body 64, an ejector block body 66, and a valve block body 68.

The filter block body 62 has a connecting surface 63 to which another block body is connected. Connection surface 63
Are three claw insertion openings 70 as block engaging portions, electric wire connecting connectors 72 as electric signal connecting portions, and air passage connecting portions 74, 76, 78 as fluid passage connecting portions.
And 80 are provided. Specifically, the air passage connecting portion 7
Reference numeral 4 is for negative pressure supply, air passage connection portion 76 is for ejector compressed air, air passage connection portion 78 is for exhaust air, and air passage connection portion 80 is for compressed air. A vacuum port 82 that faces the outside of the vacuum device is provided on the surface of the connection surface 63 that opposes.

The pressure switch block body 64 has two connecting surfaces 65a and 65b which are connected from other block bodies. The filter block body 62 is provided on the connection surface 65a.
The three claws 84 corresponding to the claw insertion openings 70 on the connection surface 63 of the, the electric wire connecting connector 86 corresponding to the electric wire connecting connector 72, and the air passage connecting portions 74, 76, 78.
And 80 corresponding to air passage connections 88, 90, 9
2, 94 are provided respectively. The connecting surface 65b is provided with the same functional portion as the connecting surface 63 of the filter block body 62 in the same arrangement.

Similarly, the connection surface 67a of the ejector block body 66 has the same structure as the connection surface 65a of the pressure switch block body 64, and the connection surface 67b of the connection surface 63 of the filter block body 62 and the pressure switch block body 64. It has the same structure as the connection surface 65b.

The valve block body 68 is provided with a pilot solenoid valve 96 for supply valve and a pilot solenoid valve 98 for release valve on its upper portion, and on its side surface, an exhaust port 100 toward the outside of the vacuum equipment 60, a connector 102 for electrical wiring, A compressed air supply port 104 is provided. The connection surface 6 opposite the Oh <br/> Ru connecting surface 69 to side pressure switch block 64
5a and the connecting surface 67a of the ejector block body 66 have the same structure.

Next, a case where these block bodies are connected will be described. For example, in the case of connecting the filter block body 62 and the pressure switch block body 64, the three claws 84 of the connection surface 65 a of the pressure switch block body 64 are inserted into the claw insertion openings 70 of the connection surface 63 of the filter block body 62. To engage with each other, whereby the filter block body 62 and the pressure switch block body 64 are mechanically connected. At the same time, the air passage connections 88, 90, 92 and 94 of the pressure switch block body 64 are inserted into the air passage connections 74, 76, 78 and 80 of the filter block body 62, respectively.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the connection between the air passage connecting portions 74 and 88 is performed as follows. The air passage connecting portion 88 has a convex shape, and the O-ring 10 is provided around the convex portion.
6 is mounted and when inserted into the concave air passage connecting portion 74, the O-ring 106 causes the inner wall 1 of the air passage connecting portion 74 to move.
Airtightness is maintained by being sandwiched between 08 and the periphery of the air passage connecting portion 88. The other air passage connections 90 and 76, 92 and 78, 94 and 80 are similarly connected. Incidentally, the O-ring 106, for example, because they are in close contact via a sliding contact state in the connection direction parallel to the inner wall 108 of the air passage connecting portion 74, is crushed O-ring 82 as in the prior illustrated in FIG 6 The connection work can be performed easily and surely without the risk of being damaged. Further, the electrical wiring is connected by inserting the convex electrical wiring connecting connector 72 into the electrical wiring connecting connector 86.

An air circuit and an electric circuit of the vacuum device 60 are shown in FIG. The vacuum device 60 includes a filter block body 62, a pressure switch block body 64, an ejector block body 66, and a valve block body 68. Vacuum introduction passage 110, ejector compressed air passage 112, exhaust passage 114, compressed air passage 116 and electric wiring 11
8 are connected via the respective connection surfaces 63, 65a, 65b, 67a, 67b and 69. Further, the check valve bypass passage in the pressure switch block body 64 is provided to alleviate the pressure change when the vacuum is broken.

As described above, the fluid circuit is formed in each block body, and the connection between the block bodies is performed by the fluid passage 110 penetrating all the block bodies.
At 112, 114 and 116. Then, by arbitrarily selecting and connecting the connection surfaces provided with the functional portions corresponding to the same location on one side surface, it is possible to obtain a vacuum device having a desired function. further,
Since each block body is easily detachably connected, it can be easily recombined on site. Therefore, it is possible to quickly replace the defective block body on site.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the vacuum device 140 basically includes the control block body 1.
42, a valve block body 144, a pressure switch block body 146, an ejector block body 148, a filter block body 150, and a base block body 152, and the block bodies are connected by connecting members 154 and 156.

In this case, the control block body 142
Connecting surface 143 of the valve block body 144
5b, connection surface 147 of pressure switch block body 146
b, the connection surface 149b of the ejector block body 148 has the same structure, and the functional portions are arranged at the same position.
Further, the connection surface 145a of the valve block body 144, the connection surface 147a of the pressure switch block body 146, the connection surface 149a of the ejector block body 148, and the connection surface 151a of the filter block body 150 have the same configuration, and the functional portions are located at the same positions. It is arranged. In addition, the connecting member 15
4, 156 are the connection surfaces 143, 145a, 145b,
147a, 147b, 149a, 149b, 151a, the filter block body 150, and the base block body 15
The block bodies are connected by being inserted into the engaging groove 155 provided near the side portions of the connecting surfaces 151b and 153 between the two (see FIG. 6). It should be noted that the claw 1 is provided at the end of each engagement groove 155.
78 is embedded, and the connecting member 15 is attached to the claw 178.
The hole portions 210 provided at the ends of the connecting members 154 and 156 are engaged with each other to prevent the connecting members 154 and 156 from falling off (see FIG. 7).

FIG. 8 shows a fluid circuit and an electric circuit of the vacuum device 140 configured as described above. From the top, the control block body 142, the valve block body 144, the pressure switch block body 146, the ejector block body 14
8, filter block body 150, base block body 15
2 is each connection surface 143, 145a, 145b, 147a,
147b, 149a, 149b, 151a, 151b,
It is connected via 153. All the block bodies except the base block body 152 are connected by a vacuum introduction passage 212, a compressed air passage 214 for an ejector, an exhaust passage 216, a compressed air passage 218, and an electric wiring 219. Then, a vacuum device having a desired function can be obtained by connecting the block bodies in an arbitrary combination. Therefore, the same effect as the first reference example can be obtained.

Finally, a second reference example will be shown. A vacuum generating unit having the same configuration as that of the above embodiment will be described with reference to the schematic vertical sectional view of FIG. 9 and the fluid circuit explanatory diagram of FIG.

The vacuum generating unit 250 is basically a manifold 252, and a filter unit 25 is provided above it.
4, ejector unit 256, valve unit 258,
It is composed of a control unit 260.

The manifold 252 includes a supply passage 262,
An exhaust passage 264 and a pilot valve exhaust passage 266 are provided, and a connector 268 configured by alternately laminating conductive elastic bodies and non-conductive elastic bodies for electrical connection is provided. The passages 262, 264, 266 and the connector 268 are provided so as to be connected to the manifolds 252, and are also provided so as to be connected to a fluid device mounted on an upper portion of each manifold 252.

The filter unit 254 mounted on the upper portion of the manifold 252 is a vacuum port 27 having a built-in one-touch joint for connecting to a working device such as a suction pad.
0 is provided. The vacuum port 270 is formed with passages communicating with the pressure sensor 304, the ejector 280, and the like. On each passage, a hydrophobic or water-impervious filter 272, 274 such as a porous fluororesin membrane is formed.
And check valves 276, 278 are provided. The element of the filter 272 is made into a cartridge, and the cartridge itself captures dust and the filter cover can be removed. It can be changed as shown by the broken line if necessary. The check valve 278 is closed when the suction pad is broken in vacuum. At that time, for example, a minute hole provided in the check valve 278 allows the fluid to intrude to gradually release the negative pressure state, and the pressure is reduced. The sensor 304 is prevented from continuing to output the signal indicating the adsorption state.

The ejector unit 256 mounted on the filter unit 254 has an ejector 280.

The valve unit 258 mounted on the upper portion of the ejector unit 256 includes a supply valve 282 and a vacuum break valve 284. Supply valves 282a to 282c and vacuum break valves 284a to 284 as shown in FIGS.
It can be replaced with 84c.

The control unit 260 mounted on the valve unit 258 is provided with a pressure switch operation indicator light 286, a condition setting switch 288 such as a sensor, and a pilot valve operation indicator light 290 on the upper surface thereof. Inside the controller auxiliary substrate 292 for memory and timer, flow control valve 294, LCD2 for display on the top
96, an LCD, a switch substrate 298, a controller main substrate 300, a pressure sensor substrate 302 below the LCD,
Pressure sensor 304, hydrophobic and impermeable filter 30
6, and further includes electromagnetic pilot valves 308a and 308b and a valve drive control substrate 310.

This controller circuit is divided into several blocks according to its function. They are a control unit such as an LCD and a switch, a communication interface unit, a main (central control unit), a timer unit, a pressure sensor drive unit, a valve drive unit, a memory and the like. These may be configured on one substrate or may be divided into a plurality of substrates. Also, most of them are integrated into one chip, or a small number of dedicated ICs, ASICs,
It may be composed of a hybrid IC or the like. Also, as the substrate, a flexible substrate or the like that can be bent may be used in terms of space efficiency.

The electrical connection between the board and each unit is
This is performed by the connector 268 using the conductive elastic body described above. However, there is a connector provided with male and female pins other than the connector 268.

The vacuum generating unit 250 thus constructed operates as follows. That is, first, according to the conditions set by the controller, sends an electrical signal to the electromagnetic pilot valve 308 a is opened, communicates the pilot chamber of the supply valve 282 and the supply passage 262 of the manifold 252 to open the supply valve 282 . Therefore,
The supply passage 262 and the ejector 280 communicate with each other, and air is sucked from a working device such as a suction pad through the vacuum port 270 and the filter 272 by opening the check valve 276.
The sucked air and the air used for the ejector 280 are exhausted from the exhaust passage 264 of the manifold 252. At that time, the pressure sensor 304 is made of a silicon diaphragm or the like and is weak against water, and detects the pressure state of the working equipment in a state where moisture is removed through the filters 274 and 306 to prevent deterioration, and the working equipment Emits a signal to control. On the other hand, when vacuum breaking is performed, a signal is sent from the controller to the electromagnetic pilot valve 308a to close the supply valve 282 and the electromagnetic pilot valve 308b.
To the vacuum break valve 284 to open. Therefore, the supply passage 262 and the vacuum port 270 communicating with the work equipment communicate with each other, and the negative pressure state of the work equipment is released. At this time, the check valve 278 is closed to prevent the pressure sensor 304 from being broken due to a sudden pressure change, and the minute pressure hole provided in the check valve 278 gradually releases the negative pressure state to cause an error. Prevents the activation signal from being emitted.

It is also possible to form the whole or a part of transparent plastic and perform visual maintenance of the filter, ejector, valve, coil, controller, passage, silencer, wiring and the like. In addition, the ejector unit 256
Can be removed, and the supply valve 282 can be configured as a vacuum pump compatible unit as a vacuum switching valve.

[0035] In a second reference example are interchangeable each promptly unit failure time and function switching, also if the same fluid passage connecting surface between the units, the first
The same effect as the reference example can be obtained.

[0036]

According to the fluid device of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

That is, since the block bodies constituting the fluid device have the connection surface in which the predetermined functional connection portions are arranged at the same place, the block bodies can be recombined. Further, since the block bodies can be connected to each other via the block body engaging portions, they can be attached and detached without a tool on site.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a vacuum device according to a first reference example.

FIG. 2 is a partial explanatory view of a connection state of a fluid passage according to a first reference example.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a fluid circuit and an electric circuit of the vacuum device of the first reference example.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a vacuum device according to an embodiment of the present invention .

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a vacuum device according to an embodiment of the present invention .

FIG. 6 is a partial explanatory view of a connection state of the block body according to the embodiment of the present invention .

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a fixing state of the connecting member according to the embodiment of the present invention .

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a fluid circuit and an electric circuit of the vacuum device according to the embodiment of the present invention .

FIG. 9 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a vacuum generating unit according to a second reference example.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a fluid circuit of a vacuum generating unit according to a second reference example.

FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a valve body used in a vacuum generating unit according to a second reference example.

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a valve element used in a vacuum generating unit according to a second reference example.

FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a valve element used in a vacuum generating unit according to a second reference example.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a combination of conventional vacuum equipment.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of block body mounting when an O-ring of a conventional example is used.

FIG. 16 is a block body mounting state diagram when a conventional O-ring is used.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masahiko Suzuki               6-19-1 Inari, Soka City, Saitama SME               C Co., Ltd. Inside the grass processing plant                (56) References JP-A-61-65985 (JP, A)                 JP 63-30603 (JP, A)                 JP-A-48-21329 (JP, A)                 Actual Kaihei 3-44581 (JP, U)                 Actual exploitation Sho 48-102463 (JP, U)                 54-8312 (JP, U)                 57-131605 (JP, U)                 62-190102 (JP, U)                 58-52395 (JP, U)                 Actual Kaihei 2-66931 (JP, U)                 Actual public Sho 48-24905 (JP, Y1)                 Special table flat 2-504179 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A fluid device configured by connecting a plurality of block bodies having different functions, wherein the block body has a fluid passage connecting portion and an electric signal connecting portion at the same position on or near the connecting surface. A block body engaging portion for connecting the block body, wherein the block body engaging portion extends along the longitudinal direction of the block body and is formed in a portion close to the connection surface. Is provided and is composed of a frame body having a U-shaped cross section along the three side surfaces of the adjacent one and the other block bodies. The frame body is used as an engaging groove of one block body and an engaging groove of the other block body. And a connecting member that connects the adjacent one and the other block bodies by sliding the block bodies, and the block body includes at least a control block body, a valve block body, and a pressure switch block. A fluid device including a lock body, an ejector block body, a filter block body, and a base block body, wherein selected desired block bodies are exchangeably connected via the connection members. 2. The fluid device according to claim 1, wherein one of the fluid passage connecting portions connected to each other is a convex connecting portion, and the other is a concave connecting portion engaging with the convex connecting portion. A fluid device, wherein a seal member is disposed between the outer peripheral portion of the convex connecting portion and the inner peripheral portion of the concave connecting portion at a portion substantially orthogonal to the connecting direction of the block body. .