JP3811558B2 - Valve body opening / closing motor control device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a valve body opening / closing motor control device that controls a motor unit that opens and closes a valve body of a flow control valve.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a valve body opening / closing motor control device that opens and closes a flow control valve used for a water amount control valve of a water heater, etc., a position where the valve body is almost fully closed is detected by using a hall element, etc. The valve is driven for a certain period of time, and the seal member such as rubber is crushed to close the valve.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional technique, after detecting the almost fully closed position by the Hall element, it is confirmed whether or not the valve body has actually closed by merely performing a throttle operation for a certain period of time at a low speed. Therefore, there has been a problem that the valve cannot be completely closed when the assembly error is large or when the foreign body is clogged and the valve body does not actually operate.
[0004]
In addition, even if the valve body cannot be displaced due to clogging of foreign matter, etc., the motor continues to be driven for a certain period of time, so that the gear portion and the like may be damaged. Further, even when such an abnormality occurs, the occurrence of the abnormality cannot be detected, and there is a problem that it is difficult to perform maintenance accurately.
[0005]
The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems of the prior art, and can completely close the valve body, detect an abnormal operation of the valve body, and damage the gear part due to clogging of foreign matter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve body opening / closing motor control device and a valve body opening / closing motor control method that can prevent the above-described problems.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The gist of the present invention for achieving the object lies in the inventions of the following items.
[ 1 ] In a valve body opening / closing motor control device for controlling the motor section (40) for opening / closing the valve body (34) of the flow control valve (30),
Driving means (51) for feeding and driving the motor section (40), current amount detecting means (52) for detecting the amount of current flowing through the motor section (40), and driving time of the motor section (40) Measuring means (53) for measuring the abnormality, and an abnormality detecting means (55) for detecting an operation abnormality of the valve body (34),
The drive means (51) stops driving the motor unit (40) when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit (40) exceeds a predetermined value.
The abnormality detection means (55) is configured to detect the valve when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit (40) does not exceed the predetermined value even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of driving of the motor unit (40). A valve body opening / closing motor control device that detects an abnormal operation of the body (34).
[0008]
[ 2 ] In the valve body opening / closing motor control device for controlling the motor section (40) for opening and closing the valve body (34) of the flow control valve (30),
Driving means (51) for feeding and driving the motor section (40), current amount detecting means (52) for detecting the amount of current flowing through the motor section (40), and output shaft of the motor section (40) Position determining means (54) for determining whether or not the valve body (34) is in the region on the closed position side beyond a predetermined detection angle range capable of detecting the position, and the valve body (34) An abnormality detecting means (55) for detecting the abnormal operation of
The drive means (51) stops driving the motor unit (40) when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit (40) exceeds a predetermined value.
When the amount of current flowing through the motor unit (40) exceeds the predetermined value, the abnormality detection means (55) causes the output shaft of the motor unit (40) to exceed the detection angle range and the valve body (34). ) valve closing motor control device and detecting an operation abnormality of the valve body when not in the closed position side (34) of.
[0009]
[ 3 ] In the valve body opening / closing motor control device for controlling the motor section (40) for opening and closing the valve body (34) of the flow control valve (30),
Driving means (51) for feeding and driving the motor section (40), current amount detecting means (52) for detecting the amount of current flowing through the motor section (40), and driving time of the motor section (40) Whether or not the output shaft of the motor part (40) exceeds the predetermined detection angle range in which the position can be detected and is in the region on the closing position side of the valve body (34). An axis position determining means (54) for determining whether or not, and an abnormality detecting means (55) for detecting an operation abnormality of the valve body (34),
The drive means (51) stops driving the motor unit (40) when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit (40) exceeds a predetermined value.
The abnormality detecting means (55) is configured such that the current value flowing through the motor unit (40) within a short time after the valve body (34) enters the closing position and cannot reach the closing position is the predetermined value. A valve body opening / closing motor control device that detects an abnormal operation of the valve body (34) when a value is exceeded.
[0010]
[ 4 ] The flow control valve (30) includes an elastic member interposed between the valve body (34) and a fluid inlet / outlet part closed by the valve body (34), and crushes the elastic member. The valve opening / closing motor control device according to [1], [2] or [3] , wherein the fluid inlet / outlet portion is closed by
[0012]
The present invention operates as follows.
The drive means (51) supplies power to the motor unit (40) to drive it, and stops driving the motor unit (40) when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit (40) exceeds a predetermined value. When the valve body (34) reaches the closed position, the displacement is prevented, so that the load applied to the motor section (40) increases and the amount of current flowing through the motor increases. Therefore, by stopping the motor drive when the amount of current exceeds a predetermined value, the valve element (34) can be stopped in a reliably closed state.
[0013]
Further, when the foreign matter is clogged, the valve body (34) is not displaced, so that the load increases and the amount of current increases. Therefore, by stopping the driving of the motor unit (40) based on the amount of current, it is possible to prevent damage to the gear unit due to clogging of foreign matter or the like.
[0014]
Here, the flow control valve (30) has an elastic member interposed between the valve body (34) and the fluid inlet / outlet part closed by the valve body (34), and the inlet / outlet is formed by crushing the elastic member. If a member that closes the part is used, the elastic member is gradually crushed when the valve body (34) is closed, so that the valve body (34) can be closed without receiving a large impact. At this time, the current value gradually increases and exceeds a predetermined value in a completely closed state.
[0015]
Moreover, the time measuring means (53) which measures the drive time of a motor part (40) is provided, and abnormality detection means (55) is the amount of electric current which flows into a motor part (40) after starting the drive of a motor part (40). An abnormal operation of the valve element (34) is detected based on the elapsed time until the value exceeds a predetermined value. For example, if the valve body (34) is not displaced even when the motor unit (40) is driven, the valve body (34) is not closed no matter how much the motor unit (40) is driven, and the amount of current is reduced. Does not increase. Therefore, the occurrence of an abnormality in which the valve element (34) does not displace due to damage to the gear part or the like is detected because no increase in the amount of current appears even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of driving of the motor part (40). can do.
[0016]
The shaft position determining means (54) determines whether or not the output shaft of the motor unit (40) is in a region on the closing position side of the valve body (34) beyond a predetermined detection angle range in which the position can be detected. To do. For example, a hall element is provided at a location before the valve body (34) is closer to the closing position, and the output shaft of the motor section (40) is closer to the closing position of the valve body (34) than the detection angle range of the hall element. Monitor whether or not.
[0017]
When the amount of current flowing through the motor unit (40) exceeds a predetermined value, the abnormality detection means (55) causes the output shaft of the motor unit (40) to exceed the detection angle range and closes the valve body (34) on the closing position side. An abnormal operation of the valve body (34) is detected based on whether or not it is in the region. For example, when the amount of current exceeds a predetermined value, if the output shaft of the motor unit (40) is not closer to the closed position side of the valve body (34) than the detection angle range, the valve body (34 due to clogging of foreign matter or the like. ) Can be detected.
[0018]
In addition, the time measuring means (53) for measuring the driving time of the motor unit (40) and the valve body (34) are closed beyond a predetermined detection angle range in which the output shaft of the motor unit (40) can detect the position. Both of the axis position determination means (54) for determining whether or not the area is on the position side are provided. The abnormality detection means (55) is configured such that the current value flowing through the motor unit (40), the drive time of the motor unit (40), and the output shaft of the motor unit (40) exceed the detection angle range and the valve body (34). An abnormal operation of the valve body (34) is detected based on three elements whether or not the region is on the closed position side.
[0019]
For example, when the valve element (34) is closer to the closing position than the detection angle range, and after entering the region, the current value increases within a short time that it cannot reach the closing position. It can be estimated that an increase in current value has occurred due to clogging of foreign matter, etc., and abnormality can be detected even in the region on the closed position side.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a water heater using a flow rate control valve driven by the valve body opening / closing motor control device 50 according to the present invention. The water heater 5 includes a combustion chamber 10. A burner 11 is disposed in the lower portion of the combustion chamber 10, and a heat exchanger 12 that transmits heat from the burner 11 to the water supply is disposed in the upper portion of the combustion chamber 10. Has been. The combustion fan 13 supplies and exhausts air to and from the combustion chamber 10. The combustion fan 13 supplies air to the burner 11 from the lower side of the combustion chamber 10 and discharges exhaust gas from the upper portion of the combustion chamber 10.
[0021]
The water supply pipe 14 communicates with the inlet side of the heat exchanger 12, and a hot water supply pipe 15 is connected to the outlet side of the heat exchanger 12. A main-side water amount control valve 20 for adjusting the amount of hot water discharged after being heated by the heat exchanger 12 is attached in the middle of the hot water supply pipe 15. The water supply pipe 14 and the hot water supply pipe 15 are connected by a bypass path 17 on the downstream side of the main-side water amount control valve 20, and in the middle of the bypass path 17, the heat exchanger 12 out of the water supply from the water supply pipe 14 is connected. A bypass-side water amount control valve 30 for adjusting the amount of water to be bypassed to the hot water supply pipe 15 without passing therethrough is attached.
[0022]
In addition, the water heater 5 shown in FIG. 2 has a function of performing hot water supply and reheating to the bath, and is provided with a bath return pipe 19a and a bath return pipe 19b leading to the bathtub.
[0023]
FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the bypass-side water amount control valve 30. The bypass-side water amount control valve 30 includes a water conditioning body 33 having a fluid inlet portion 31 and an outlet portion 32. The valve body 34 for adjusting the flow rate of the fluid flowing from the inlet portion 31 to the outlet portion 32 moves forward in the axial direction by rotating the water adjustment shaft 35, and is fully opened by turning the water adjustment shaft 35 90 degrees. It moves from the state to the substantially fully closed state.
[0024]
The outer diameter of the valve body 34 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the flow path 31a that communicates with the inlet 31 of the water-conditioning body 33, and is accommodated in the flow path 31a. A rubber sheet 36 having a diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the flow path 31 a is disposed on the back surface of the valve body 34, and a stopper member having an outer diameter larger than that of the rubber sheet 36 on the back surface side of the rubber sheet 36. 37 is attached. Between the outer diameter of the rubber sheet 36 and the stopper member 37, a crushing distance Δt of the rubber sheet 36 is provided. By further closing the water adjustment shaft 35 in the closing direction from the substantially fully closed position, the rubber sheet 36 reaches a closed position where it is sandwiched between the stopper member 37 and the water adjustment body 33 and crushed to some extent.
[0025]
FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the main part of the motor unit 40 that drives the bypass-side water amount control valve 30. The motor unit 40 includes a motor 41 and a reduction gear unit 42 therein. The output shaft 43 faces downward in the figure, and its end portion forms a female shape portion 44 for fitting the water adjustment shaft 35 of the bypass-side water amount control valve 30. The motor unit 40 includes an axial position detection circuit 46 including a Hall IC 45 in which a Hall element and peripheral circuits are integrated into one chip. A magnet 47 is attached to the output shaft 43 at a location corresponding to the Hall IC 45. When the valve body 34 reaches the substantially fully closed position, the magnet 47 attached to the output shaft 43 is set so as to fall within the detection angle range of the Hall IC 45.
[0026]
FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of the valve body opening / closing motor control unit 50. The water heater 5 includes a control base (not shown) that performs various controls in the water heater 5 such as combustion control and flow rate control, and the valve body opening / closing motor controller 50 is built in the control base. The valve body opening / closing motor control unit 50 includes a driving unit 51 that supplies power to the motor 41 and drives the motor 41, a current amount detection unit 52 that detects the amount of current flowing through the motor 41, and a time measuring unit that measures the driving time of the motor 41 and the like. 53, a shaft position determination unit 54 for determining whether or not the output shaft 43 of the motor 41 is in a region on the closed position side exceeding a detection angle range in which the position can be detected, and an abnormal operation of the valve body 34. And an abnormality detection unit 55 for detection.
[0027]
FIG. 5 schematically shows the relationship between the rotation angle of the output shaft of the motor unit and the detection angle range, the close detection excess region, the close position, and the like. The position rotated 90 degrees from the fully open position 81 in the direction indicated by the arrow 82 is the close detection position 83 where the position detection signal of the Hall IC 45 changes from the high level to the low level. Further, the detection angle range 84 is a period during which the position detection signal is held in a low level state, and an area from the fully open position 81 to the close detection position 83 is an undetected area 87.
[0028]
In the detection angle range 84, the rubber sheet 36 provided behind the valve body 34 almost arrives at a position where it starts to contact the water conditioning body 33. However, at this position, the rubber sheet 36 has not been crushed yet. The closing position 85 where the rubber sheet 36 is crushed by a certain amount or more is a position beyond the detection angle range 84. The range from exceeding the detection angle range 84 to reaching the closing position 85 is a closing detection excess region 86. The position detection signal output by the Hall IC 45 is in a high level state except when the output shaft 43 is within the detection angle range 84.
[0029]
Next, the operation will be described.
When the bypass-side water amount control valve 30 is closed, the drive unit 51 of the valve body opening / closing motor control unit 50 supplies power to the motor 41 and drives it in the direction in which the valve body 34 is closed. As shown in FIG. 6, the amount of current 91 flowing through the motor 41 is relatively low until the time (T1) when the rubber sheet 36 disposed behind the valve body 34 hits the water-conditioning body 33. After that, when the closing position is close and the rubber sheet 36 is sandwiched between the water-conditioning body 33 and the stopper member 37 and crushing starts, the load applied to the motor 41 gradually increases due to the reaction caused by the elasticity of the rubber sheet 36. The amount of current gradually increases.
[0030]
When the rubber sheet 36 is crushed more than a certain amount, the amount of current flowing through the motor 41 exceeds a predetermined threshold 92 (time T2). The gradually increasing characteristic of the amount of current appearing after time T1 is caused by gradually crushing the rubber sheet 36 having elasticity. The drive unit 51 determines that the valve body 34 has reached the closing position when the current amount detected by the current amount detection unit 52 exceeds the threshold value 92, and stops driving the motor 41.
[0031]
At time T2, the stopper member 37 has not yet hit the water conditioning body 33. That is, the current value of the threshold 92 is set to a value smaller than the current value when the stopper member 37 hits the water-conditioning body 33. Moreover, when the stopper member 37 hits the water-conditioning body 33 (time T3), the current value increases rapidly.
[0032]
As described above, since the valve body 34 is recognized as being closed based on the value of the current flowing through the motor 41, compared to the case where the valve body 34 is closed by driving for a certain time after exceeding the detection angle range 84, The valve body 34 can be reliably closed.
[0033]
Further, in consideration of variations in the assembly of the motor unit 40 and the bypass-side water amount control valve 30, when the valve body is driven for a certain time to be in the closed state, the time needs to be set to a relatively long value with a margin. There is. For this reason, even after the valve body is actually closed, the motor 41 is driven, and the motor 41 and the gear portion are deteriorated. On the other hand, in the case of stopping the driving based on the value of the current flowing through the motor 41, the motor 41 is not driven more than necessary, so that the deterioration of the motor 41, the gear portion, etc. can be prevented. If the valve element 34 is not displaced even when the motor 41 is driven due to clogging of foreign matter, the load applied to the motor 41 increases, and the amount of current increases accordingly. Therefore, by stopping the driving of the motor 41 when the amount of current exceeds the threshold value, damage to the gear portion and the like can be prevented.
[0034]
Next, detection of abnormal operation of the valve body will be described. As described above, when the valve element 34 is not displaced even when the motor 41 is driven due to clogging of foreign matter or the like, the load applied to the motor 41 increases and the amount of current increases. On the other hand, even if the motor 41 is driven, if the valve element 34 is not displaced due to a failure of the gear portion or the like, the amount of current does not reach the threshold value.
[0035]
Therefore, the time during which the motor 41 is driven, whether the output shaft 43 is in the non-detection region 87, the detection angle range 84, or the close detection excess region 86, the current amount detected by the current amount detection unit 52, Based on the above, the abnormality detection unit 55 detects an abnormal operation of the valve body 34.
[0036]
That is, the time measuring unit 53 included in the valve body opening / closing motor control unit 50 measures the time from the start of driving of the motor 41. The abnormality detection unit 55 determines that the valve element 34 is not displaced when the amount of current flowing through the motor 41 does not exceed the threshold value even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of driving of the motor 41. Then, a predetermined abnormality signal is output, and abnormality display is performed on the display unit of the remote control operation unit.
[0037]
In addition, the abnormality detection unit 55 detects the displacement of the valve element 34 due to clogging of foreign matter or the like when the current value exceeds the threshold value when the output shaft 43 of the motor 41 is in the non-detection region 87 or the detection angle range 84. It is determined that it has been blocked and an abnormality is detected. The shaft position determination unit 54 detects that the output shaft 43 detects the undetected region 87 based on the direction in which the drive unit 51 drives the output shaft 43 and the position detection signal from the shaft position detection circuit 46. It is determined which of the angle range 84 and the closed detection excess region 86 is located.
[0038]
For example, when the motor 41 is being driven toward the closing position 85, a predetermined flag is set when it is detected that the detection angle range 84 has been passed, and when the detection angle range 84 has been passed in the reverse direction, By resetting the flag, the current position of the output shaft 43 is determined based on the state of the flag.
[0039]
Further, the driving time after the output shaft 43 passes the detection angle range 84 toward the closing position 85 is measured, and after the valve body 34 enters the closing detection excess region 86, it finally reaches the closing position 85. If the current value exceeds the threshold value within a short time period that cannot be obtained, it is determined that an increase in the current value has occurred due to clogging of foreign matter, etc., and an abnormality is displayed.
[0040]
In the embodiment described above, when the valve body is stopped at the closed position, the driving of the motor 41 is stopped based on the current value. However, when the valve body is fully open, The stop at the fully open position may be performed based on the current value.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
According to the valve body opening / closing motor control device and the valve body opening / closing motor control method according to the present invention, the driving of the motor unit is stopped when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit exceeds a predetermined value, so that the valve body is securely closed. be able to. Also, when the foreign matter is clogged, the load increases and the amount of current increases, so that the drive of the motor unit is stopped based on the amount of current, thereby preventing damage to the gear portion due to clogging of the foreign matter.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a valve body opening / closing motor control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a water heater to which a valve body opening / closing motor control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a flow control valve.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a motor unit that drives a flow control valve.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a relationship between a rotation angle of an output shaft of a motor unit and a detection angle range, a closed detection excess region, a closed position, and the like.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a change in the amount of current flowing in the motor unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 ... Water heater 30 ... Bypass side water quantity control valve 34 ... Valve body 40 ... Motor part 41 ... Motor 42 ... Reduction gear part 43 ... Output shaft 45 ... Hall IC
46 ... Axial position detection circuit 47 ... Magnet 50 ... Valve body opening / closing motor control unit 51 ... Drive unit 52 ... Current amount detection unit 53 ... Time measuring unit 54 ... Axis position determination unit 55 ... Abnormality detection unit

Claims (4)

In the valve body opening / closing motor control device for controlling the motor unit for opening and closing the valve body of the flow control valve,
A driving unit that feeds and drives the motor unit, a current amount detecting unit that detects the amount of current flowing through the motor unit, a time measuring unit that measures the driving time of the motor unit, and an abnormal operation of the valve body are detected. An abnormality detecting means for
The driving means stops the driving of the motor unit when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit exceeds a predetermined value,
The abnormality detecting means detects an abnormal operation of the valve element when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit does not exceed the predetermined value even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of driving of the motor unit. A valve body opening / closing motor control device. In the valve body opening / closing motor control device for controlling the motor unit for opening and closing the valve body of the flow control valve,
Driving means for supplying power to the motor unit for driving, current amount detecting means for detecting the amount of current flowing in the motor unit, and a predetermined detection angle range in which the output shaft of the motor unit can detect its position. A shaft position determining means for determining whether or not the valve body is in a region on the closed position side, and an abnormality detecting means for detecting an operation abnormality of the valve body,
The driving means stops the driving of the motor unit when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit exceeds a predetermined value,
When the amount of current flowing through the motor unit exceeds the predetermined value, the abnormality detection unit is configured to detect the valve body when the output shaft of the motor unit exceeds the detection angle range and is not on the valve closing position side. A valve body opening / closing motor control device that detects an abnormal operation of the valve body. In the valve body opening / closing motor control device for controlling the motor unit for opening and closing the valve body of the flow control valve,
A driving unit that feeds and drives the motor unit, a current amount detecting unit that detects the amount of current flowing through the motor unit, a timing unit that measures the driving time of the motor unit, and an output shaft of the motor unit A shaft position determination means for determining whether or not the valve body is in a region on the closed position side beyond a predetermined detection angle range capable of detecting the position, and an abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormal operation of the valve body. Have
The driving means stops the driving of the motor unit when the amount of current flowing through the motor unit exceeds a predetermined value,
The abnormality detecting means is configured to detect the valve element when a current value flowing through the motor unit exceeds the predetermined value within a short time after the valve element enters the closing position side and cannot reach the closing position. A valve body opening / closing motor control device that detects an abnormal operation of the valve body. The flow rate control valve has an elastic member interposed between the valve body and a fluid inlet / outlet portion closed by the valve body, and closes the fluid inlet / outlet portion by crushing the elastic member. 4. The valve body opening / closing motor control device according to claim 1, 2, or 3 .

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