JP7161327B2 - static eliminator - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed herein relates to a static eliminator that performs static elimination with ionized air.

In the technical field of static eliminators, a method of ionizing air molecules by corona discharge and neutralizing static electricity using the ionized air (so-called corona discharge method) is widely known (for example, patent See Reference 1).

Specifically, in Patent Document 1, as an example of a static eliminator adopting the corona discharge type, a high voltage generation circuit (piezoelectric transformer) housed in a housing and a high voltage generated by the high voltage generation circuit Disclosed is a discharge needle to which a high voltage is applied, a gas supply mechanism (sirocco fan) for blowing air around the discharge needle, and a ground electrode arranged around the discharge needle. .

When a high voltage is applied to the discharge needle in the static eliminator according to Patent Document 1, the air around the discharge needle is ionized. The ionized air is supplied to an object to be statically eliminated, such as an electronic component, by a gas supply mechanism. When the ionized air comes into contact with the static elimination object, the static electricity charged on the static elimination object can be neutralized.

As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a static eliminator equipped with a sirocco fan as a gas supply mechanism realizes a compact layout, so it is not used as a stationary (fixed) static eliminator. Suitable for A stationary static eliminator is, for example, a static eliminator installed on a production line in a factory, and can sequentially eliminate static electricity from works flowing through the production line.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses another example of a static eliminator that employs a corona discharge type. Specifically, the static eliminator according to Patent Document 2 is provided with a display unit composed of a plurality of light emitting elements, and by controlling the light emitting operation of these light emitting elements, the static elimination target (work) is charged. It is configured to display the status (neutralization state).

Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a gun-type static eliminator as another example of the static eliminator that employs the corona discharge type. The static eliminator according to Patent Document 3 includes illumination (illumination lamp) for irradiating a static elimination target (work) with light, and can illuminate the static elimination target (work) during static elimination work. . Further, the static eliminator according to Patent Document 3 is configured to change the lighting state of the illumination when an abnormality is detected in an electric circuit or the like that constitutes the static eliminator.

JP 2011-014318 A JP 2011-142109 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-482

The inventors of the present application newly discovered that there is a need for users to recognize the charging state of an object to be statically eliminated in the technical field of the static eliminator described in Patent Document 1 and the like. In order to meet such needs, it is conceivable to use a display unit as disclosed in Patent Document 2. However, depending on the installation state of the static eliminator, the light emitting element may not be visually recognized well, making it difficult to recognize the charging state. can be difficult.

In this way, when an approach different from the method disclosed in Patent Document 2 is required, the inventors of the present application have created a new method as a result of extensive studies, and have found the present disclosure. rice field.

The technology disclosed herein has been made in view of such a point, and its purpose is to allow the user to recognize the charging state of the object to be statically eliminated.

A first aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing, a high voltage generation circuit that is housed in the housing and generates a high voltage, and is electrically connected to the high voltage generation circuit, the high voltage generation a discharge needle configured to ionize ambient air by applying a high voltage generated by a circuit; a gas supply mechanism for supplying the air ionized by the discharge needle to a static elimination area; and a ground electrode that is arranged around the discharge needle and connected to the ground.

The static eliminator according to the first aspect includes a charge amount monitor circuit electrically connected to the ground electrode and for detecting a signal corresponding to the charging state of the static elimination target in the static elimination area; lighting for irradiating light toward the static elimination area; determining the charging state of the static elimination object based on the signal detected by the charge amount monitor circuit; and a control means for changing the mode.

According to this configuration, when the high voltage generated in the high voltage generation circuit is applied to the discharge needle, the air around the discharge needle is ionized. The air thus ionized can be supplied to the static elimination object by the gas supply mechanism. When the ionized air comes into contact with the static elimination object, the static electricity charged on the static elimination object can be neutralized.

Furthermore, since the ground electrode is arranged around the discharge needle, the electric field strength in the vicinity of the discharge needle can be increased to promote ionization. A portion of the ions generated by the discharge needle will be attracted to this ground electrode. Based on the amount of ions attracted to the ground electrode, the charge amount monitor circuit and the control means for receiving the detection signal of the same circuit determine the amount of ions used for the charge removal of the charge removal target, and thus the charge amount of the charge removal target. be able to judge the situation.

The control means changes the irradiation mode of the notification lighting based on the electrification state thus determined. For example, the user can be made to recognize the charged state by switching the irradiation mode depending on whether the object to be neutralized is charged or not. As a result, it is possible to recognize the charging state of the object to be statically eliminated.

In general, when the static eliminator and its housing are configured to be compact, even if the display is provided on the back of the housing, the display is also inevitably compact. can be difficult.

On the other hand, when the illumination mode of the notification illumination is changed as in the configuration described above, the visibility of the illumination light is not degraded no matter how compact the housing is configured. The user can grasp the charging state of the object to be statically eliminated only by looking at the irradiation light without visually recognizing the housing. From this point of view as well, the configuration according to the present disclosure is effective in favorably recognizing the charging state of the static elimination target.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, the control means selects the color of the illumination light, the illumination pattern, the ON/OFF state of the illumination, and the amount of the illumination light as the illumination mode of the illumination. At least one may be changed.

According to this configuration, by changing the irradiation mode from various aspects, it is advantageous in making the charged state of the object to be neutralized well recognized.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, the housing has an intake port for sucking air from the outside of the housing, and an opening in a direction perpendicular to the intake port. and a blowout port for blowing out air from the inside of the housing, wherein the discharge needle and the ground electrode are spaced apart from each other at an opening edge of the blowout port, and the The gas supply mechanism may be configured to supply the air ionized by the discharge needle to the static elimination area by blowing out the air sucked from the suction port from the blowout port.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a lens is provided through which the illumination light from the notification illumination passes, and the lens is arranged on a plane parallel to the outlet to emit light emitted by the notification illumination. The irradiation light may be directed such that at least a part of each of the irradiated area and the static elimination area overlaps with each other.

According to this configuration, it is possible to use the illumination light from the notification illumination as guide light that points to the static elimination area. Thereby, the convenience of the static eliminator can be improved.

In addition, according to the static eliminator according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the lens has an area illuminated by the notification illumination and the static elimination area at a position spaced apart from the outlet by a predetermined distance. The illuminating light may be directed so as to substantially match.

According to this configuration, the convenience of the static eliminator can be further enhanced.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the gas supply mechanism is configured by a sirocco fan configured to suck in air from the suction port and blow out air from the blowout port, The housing may be formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed along the central axis of the sirocco fan.

According to this configuration, the gas supply mechanism is composed of a sirocco fan, and the housing is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, so that the housing, and thus the static eliminator, can be made compact.

On the other hand, the above configuration is effective in making the charging state of the object to be neutralized well recognized when the housing is compactly configured as described above.

In particular, when the housing is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, it is common to use a stationary static eliminator. In the case of a stationary static eliminator, for example, when installing the static eliminator on a production line (when installing the static eliminator), it is required to grasp how much static electricity is actually eliminated. The above configuration is particularly effective in such stationary static eliminators.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, the notification illumination, the discharge needle, and the ground electrode are arranged on the front surface of the outer surface forming the housing, where the outlet is open. It may be arranged along.

According to this configuration, even if the housing space in the housing is limited, the components can be effectively laid out. This is advantageous in making the static eliminator compact.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the display lamp is provided on at least one outer surface other than the front surface among the outer surfaces forming the housing, and is configured to change the light emission mode. and the control means may change the light emission mode of the indicator lamp according to the charging state of the object to be statically eliminated.

For example, in the case of a stationary static eliminator, depending on the installation situation, the color of the static elimination object, and the standing position of the user, it may be difficult to see the illumination light from the notification illumination.

On the other hand, according to the above-described configuration, in addition to the notification illumination, the illumination light emitted by the notification illumination is difficult to see by providing an indicator lamp configured to be able to change the light emission mode. Even so, it is possible to allow the user to grasp the charging state more reliably than before.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the ninth aspect of the present disclosure, the indicator lamp is arranged on the rear surface of the outer surface forming the housing, which is located on the opposite side of the front surface across the sirocco fan. You can say yes.

This configuration is advantageous in allowing the user to grasp the charging state.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the tenth aspect of the present disclosure, the control means may change the light emission mode of the indicator lamp so as to interlock with the illumination mode of the notification illumination.

This configuration is advantageous in allowing the user to grasp the charging state.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, the discharge needle and the ground electrode form an integrated discharge module, and the discharge module is separate from the housing and , which is detachable from the front surface of the housing, and when the discharge module is attached to the front surface, the discharge needle and the high voltage generation circuit, the ground electrode and the charge amount monitor circuit are connected to each other. may be configured to be electrically connected to each other.

Replacement of the discharge needle is necessary for a general static eliminator.

According to this configuration, the discharge needle and the ground electrode are integrated, and the static eliminator can be easily replaced by being detachable from the housing. In this manner, the above configuration can improve the convenience of the static eliminator in that maintenance can be improved.

Furthermore, according to the static eliminator according to the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, the discharge module has the discharge needle and the ground electrode attached thereto, and has a module main body that can be attached to and detached from the front surface, A locking portion that can be locked to the housing is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the module main body, and the discharge module is in a state where the locking portion is locked to the housing. The module body may be configured to be attached to the front surface of the housing by rotating the module body about the locking portion as a fulcrum.

According to this configuration, the module is attached to the housing by rotating the module body. With such a configuration, the discharge module can be attached easily and reliably.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the notification lighting protrudes forward from the front surface, and the module main body is provided with a through hole through which the notification lighting can be inserted. The through hole may be configured such that the notification illumination is inserted when the module body is rotated around the locking portion as a fulcrum.

According to this configuration, it is possible to attach the discharge module to the housing without interfering with the notification illumination and the through hole.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the notification lighting may be configured separately from the housing.

Further, according to the static eliminator according to the fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure, the control means includes a charging status notification mode capable of changing the illumination mode of the notification illumination according to the charging status of the static elimination target; It may be configured to be switchable between a non-informing mode in which the lighting mode of the informing lighting is kept constant regardless of the electrification state of the object to be statically eliminated.

In general, there may be users who feel that the light emitted by the notification lighting is an eyesore. In order to deal with such users, for example, only when the static eliminator is installed on the production line, the irradiation mode is changed as described above. During operation, it is desirable to keep the irradiation mode of the notification lighting constant without changing it.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to meet such needs.

As described above, according to the static eliminator, it is possible to make the charged state of the static elimination target be recognized satisfactorily.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a static eliminator. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating an outline of the operation of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a left side view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a right side view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a front view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a rear view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a state in which the discharge module is removed. FIG. 11 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 showing a state in which the discharge module is removed. FIG. 12A is a perspective view showing the discharge module as seen obliquely from the upper front. FIG. 12B is a perspective view showing the discharge module as seen obliquely from the lower front. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the structure around the ground electrode in the discharge module. 14A and 14B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a method of attaching the discharge module. FIG. 15 is a block diagram schematically showing the circuit configuration of the high voltage circuit, discharge module and control board. FIG. 16 is a flow chart exemplifying the processing related to the lighting mode of the notification lighting. FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the static eliminator according to the second embodiment. 18 is a left side view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 17; 19 is a right side view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 17. FIG. 20 is a front view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 17. FIG. 21 is a rear view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 17. FIG. 22 is a plan view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 17. FIG. 23 is a bottom view of the static eliminator illustrated in FIG. 17. FIG. FIG. 24 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of a static eliminator according to the third embodiment. FIG. 25 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of a static eliminator according to the fourth embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. Note that the following description is an example.

That is, the technology disclosed herein can be used in general devices configured to neutralize static electricity using corona discharge, regardless of the name of the static eliminator.

For example, in this specification, a fan-type stationary static eliminator (first embodiment) will be mainly described in detail. or a bar-type static eliminator (third embodiment), or a gun-type static eliminator (fourth embodiment).

- 1st embodiment -
<Schematic configuration of static eliminator 1>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the static eliminator 1 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the outline of the operation of the static eliminator 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the static eliminator 1, FIG. 4 is a left side view of the static eliminator 1, FIG. 5 is a right side view of the static eliminator 1, and FIG. 7 is a rear view of the static eliminator 1, FIG. 8 is a plan view of the static eliminator 1, and FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the static eliminator 1. FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a state in which the discharge module 4 is removed, FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing a state in which the discharge module 4 is removed, and FIG. 12B is a perspective view showing the discharge module 4 as seen obliquely from below, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the structure around the ground electrode 42 in the discharge module 4, and FIG. 15A and 15B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a mounting method of the discharge module 4, and FIG. 15 is a block diagram schematically showing the circuit configuration of the high-voltage circuit 3, the discharge module 4 and the control board 7. FIG.

A static eliminator 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 is configured as a fan-type static eliminator using corona discharge. That is, the static eliminator 1 causes corona discharge to generate ions, and supplies the ionized air to the static elimination region R2. Thereby, the static eliminator 1 can neutralize the static electricity charged on the static elimination object (hereinafter simply referred to as "work") W. FIG.

The static eliminator 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 is also a stationary compact static eliminator comprising a sirocco fan 5 housed in a thin box-shaped housing 10, and can be installed in a factory production line or the like.

Specifically, the main components of the static eliminator 1 include a housing 10 for housing various parts, a power supply board 2, and a high voltage generator that transforms the input voltage from the power supply board 2 to generate a high voltage. A circuit (hereinafter simply referred to as a "high-voltage circuit") 30 and a discharge needle 41 that is applied with a high voltage generated in the high-voltage circuit 3 to cause corona discharge. A discharge module 4 formed by combining a ground electrode 42 configured to increase the strength of the surrounding electric field, a sirocco fan 5 operating based on the input voltage from the power supply substrate 2, and a notification of irradiating light toward the static elimination area R2. and lighting 6 for.

A cable C is connected to the power supply board 2, and power can be supplied to the static eliminator 1 through this cable C, and a signal indicating the state of static elimination can be output.

The static eliminator 1 also includes a control board 7 on which a charge amount monitor circuit 71 for monitoring the charge state of the workpiece W and a controller 72 for performing various processes are mounted. The control board 7 is electrically connected to the power supply board 2 , and power supply from the power supply board 2 to the high voltage circuit 3 and the sirocco fan 5 is turned on based on a signal output from the control board 7 . /OFF. Thereby, the corona discharge by the discharge needle 41 can be controlled via the high voltage circuit 3, and the operation of the sirocco fan 5 can be controlled. Although not shown, the input voltage to the high-voltage circuit 3 and the sirocco fan 5 can be adjusted by a semi-fixed resistor (a so-called trimmer potentiometer).

Hereinafter, after sequentially describing the components of the static eliminator 1, the operation of the static eliminator 1 and its control mode will be described.

<Configuration of housing 10 and surroundings of housing 10>
As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the static eliminator 1 includes a housing 10 for housing a power supply board 2 , a high-voltage circuit 3 , a sirocco fan 5 , and a control board 7 . As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9B, the housing 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped appearance, and is formed in the shape of a thin box whose left-right dimension is short relative to its vertical and front-rear dimensions. ing.

Specifically, the housing 10 according to the present embodiment has a front surface 10f, a rear surface 10b, a right surface 10r, a left surface 10l, a top surface 10t, and a bottom surface 10u. An accommodation space S for various parts is partitioned by .

More specifically, of the six sides that define the housing space S, the right side 10r and the left side 10l are formed in a rectangular shape whose front-rear dimension is slightly longer than its vertical dimension, and are substantially the same. have an outline. Here, an intake port 11 for taking in air from the outside of the housing 10 is provided on the left side surface 10l. The suction port 11 is open along the direction of the central axis Cs of the sirocco fan 5 (more specifically, it is open toward the left), and serves as an opening through which the sirocco fan 5 sucks in air. configured to function. As can be understood from this, the housing 10 according to the present embodiment is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the central axis Cs direction of the sirocco fan 5 (see FIG. 4 in particular).

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3 and the like, a separate cover 13 having an air filter is attached to the intake port 11 . Therefore, when viewed from the front, the static eliminator 1 according to the present embodiment protrudes leftward by the amount of the cover 13 attached (see FIG. 6).

On the other hand, of the six surfaces that partition the housing space S in the housing 10, the front surface 10f and the rear surface 10b are formed in a rectangular shape whose horizontal dimension is significantly shorter than that of the vertical dimension. have the same contour. Here, the upper portion of the front surface 10f is provided with a rectangular air outlet 12 that is elongated in the left-right direction. The air outlet 12 opens in a direction perpendicular to the air inlet 11 (specifically, in the forward direction), and functions as an opening through which the sirocco fan 5 discharges air. ing. As can be understood from this, the housing 10 according to the present embodiment is arranged in the vertical direction when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the central axis Cs of the sirocco fan 5 (especially, the blowing direction Co perpendicular to the outlet 12). It is formed in a substantially rectangular shape with long dimensions (see FIG. 6 in particular).

Furthermore, a lens 61 that constitutes the notification illumination 6 is arranged on the lower portion of the front surface 10f. As shown in FIG. 11, a portion of the front surface 10f around the lens 61 protrudes diagonally forward and upward. Thereby, the optical axis Cl of the lens 61 is inclined obliquely upward. As a result, the optical axis Cl of the lens 61 is not parallel to the blowout direction Co, but is inclined with respect to the blowout direction Co. As a result, the optical axis Cl of the lens 61 and the air blowing direction Co can intersect at a position separated by a predetermined distance d1 from the front surface 10f (specifically, the air outlet 12) of the housing 10. . In the configuration according to the first embodiment, the predetermined distance d1 is set to about 10 cm, but the size of the predetermined distance d1 can be appropriately changed according to the design of the static eliminator 1. .

The discharge module 4 is mounted on the front face 10f of the housing 10 constructed in this manner. Although the details will be described later, the discharge module 4 is formed in a rectangular shape with a long vertical dimension. 41 and the ground electrode 42 are arranged, and the information illumination 6 is inserted into the third through hole 40c of the discharge module 4 so that the lens 61 is exposed.

On the other hand, on the rear surface 10b of the housing 10, there is provided a horizontally long indicator lamp 8, a trimmer switch 91 for adjusting the air volume of the sirocco fan 5, and a rear switch consisting of a group of three switches 92. 9 and are provided.

As described above, the indicator lamp 8 according to the present embodiment has a surface other than the front surface 10f on which the air outlet 12 is provided, of the six surfaces forming the housing 10. Specifically, the air discharged from the air outlet 12 It can be provided on the rear surface 10b located on the side opposite to the front surface 10f with the sirocco fan 5 interposed therebetween in the blowing direction Co.

Further, the aforementioned cable C is connected to the corner where the rear surface 10b and the bottom surface 10u intersect.

<Power supply board 2>
The power supply board 2 is arranged inside the housing space S. As shown in FIG. A cable C is connected to the power supply board 2 , so that power supplied from the cable C can be supplied to each part of the static eliminator 1 .

Further, an I/O port (not shown) is mounted on the power supply board 2, and based on operation input via the trimmer switch 91 and the switch group 92 and control signals input from the controller 72 of the control board 7, etc. It is possible to turn ON/OFF whether power is supplied to the high-voltage circuit 3, the sirocco fan 5, the notification lighting 6, the control board 7, the indicator lamp 8, and the like.

<High voltage circuit 3>
The high-voltage circuit 3 is arranged inside the housing space S. As shown in FIG. The high-voltage circuit 3 has a piezoelectric transformer 31 for transforming the input voltage from the power supply board 2 and applying it to the discharge needle 41, and an oscillation circuit 32 for adjusting the waveform of the AC voltage.

Specifically, the piezoelectric transformer 31 can boost the input voltage from the power supply board 2 to ±3 kV or more and apply it to the discharge needle 41 . It should be noted that the voltage of "±3 kV" is merely an example. It is sufficient that the voltage is applied to the discharge needle 41 to cause corona discharge (local breakdown discharge).

Moreover, the piezoelectric transformer 31 can receive an input of a rectangular wave, convert the input rectangular wave into a sine wave, and output the sine wave. Thereby, the piezoelectric transformer 31 can apply to the discharge needle 41 a high voltage that has been boosted to ±3 kV or more and converted into a sine wave.

<Discharge module 4>
(Overall Configuration of Discharge Module 4)
As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the discharge needle 41 and the ground electrode 42 form an integrated discharge module 4. FIG. The discharge module 4 is configured to be separate from the housing 10 and detachable from the housing 10 .

When the discharge module 4 is mounted in the housing 10, the discharge needle 41 in the discharge module 4 and the piezoelectric transformer 31 in the high-voltage circuit 3 are electrically connected, and the ground electrode 42 in the discharge module 4 and the control board are electrically connected. It is configured to be electrically connected to a charge amount monitor circuit 71 in 7 .

Also, as can be seen from FIG. They are arranged along the front face 10f where the outlets 12 are open and spaced apart from each other.

Specifically, the discharge module 4 has a module main body 40 formed in a rectangular and thin plate shape, a pair of left and right discharge needles 41 , and a common ground electrode 42 for the left and right discharge needles 41 . .

The module main body 40 is made of a thermoplastic resin (for example, polybutylene terephthalate: PBT). A third through-hole 40c is opened in the lower part of 40 . Here, the “upward direction” refers to a direction that coincides with the upward direction of the housing 10 when attached to the housing 10 . Other directions are similarly defined. Further, the module body 40 is not limited to PBT, and may be made of other resins. In the first place, the module body 40 may be made of a material that functions as an insulator, not limited to resin.

Both the first and second through-holes 40a and 40b are open in a substantially rectangular shape, and have a shape that bisects the opening of the outlet 12 in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the discharge module 4 is attached to the housing 10, the first through-hole 40a and the left half of the outlet 12 form an integral opening, while the second through-hole 40b and the right half of the outlet 12 form an integral opening. The part constitutes an integral opening.

The third through hole 40c has a shape corresponding to the outer periphery of the notification lighting 6, and the notification lighting 6 can be inserted through the third through hole 40c. Therefore, when the discharge module 4 is attached to the housing 10, the lens 61 of the notification illumination 6 is exposed from the opening of the third through hole 40c with the lens surface facing obliquely forward and upward.

If the discharge needle 41 arranged on the left side of the pair of left and right discharge needles 41 is called a first discharge needle 41a, this first discharge needle 41a protrudes downward from the upper side of the opening of the first through hole 40a. ing. A high AC voltage that has been transformed by the piezoelectric transformer 31 and converted into a rectangular wave by the oscillation circuit 32 can be applied to the first discharge needle 41a. When a high voltage is applied to the first discharge needle 41a, a corona discharge can be generated, and the corona discharge can ionize air molecules floating around the first discharge needle 41a.

On the other hand, if the discharge needle 41 arranged on the right side of the pair of left and right discharge needles 41 is called a second discharge needle 41b, this second discharge needle 41b extends downward from the upper side of the opening of the first through hole 40a. protruding towards. Similarly to the first discharge needle 41a, by applying a high voltage to the second discharge needle 41b, corona discharge can be generated to ionize the air molecules.

The ground electrode 42 is arranged around the first and second discharge needles 41a and 41b and is grounded. More specifically, the ground electrode 42 is formed in a concave shape with its recessed portion directed upward, and includes an opening composed of the first through hole 40a and the left half of the outlet 12, and a second through hole. 40 b and the opening formed by the right half of the outlet 12 . By providing the ground electrode 42, the electric field intensity near the first and second discharge needles 41a and 41b can be increased, and the ionization of air molecules can be promoted. A portion of the ions generated by the first and second discharge needles 41a and 41b are also attracted to this ground electrode 42. FIG. By using the method conceived by the applicant of the present application, it is possible to determine the charging state of the work W based on the ions attracted to the ground electrode 42 . In order to make such determination, the ground electrode 42 is electrically connected to the aforementioned charge amount monitor circuit 71 .

Here, the structure of the ground electrode 42 will be described in more detail. The ground electrode 42 according to the present embodiment is inserted from below into the left side of the first through hole 40a in the module body 40 in order from the left side. A left insertion portion 42a, a grounding portion 42b that is spaced apart from the tips of the first and second discharge needles 41a and 41b and faces the respective tips, and a right insertion portion 42c that is inserted from below.

As shown in FIG. 13, by inserting the left insertion portion 42a and the right insertion portion 42c into the module main body 40, the space between the first discharge needle 41a and the left insertion portion 42a and the second discharge needle The resin constituting the module main body 40 is interposed between the 41b and the right insertion portion 42c.

The inventors (and others) of the present application have discovered a unique problem that occurs when a resin is interposed between a part of the ground electrode 42 and the discharge needle 41 as described above, and have developed a method for solving the problem. Found a new configuration.

That is, as described above, at least some of the ions generated in the discharge needle 41 are attracted to the ground electrode 42 as described above. Here, if a resin is interposed between the ground electrode 42 and the discharge needle 41, the ions thus attracted may collide with the resin, and the resin may be scraped off. The inventor(s) have noticed.

For example, when the above configuration is adopted, ions attracted to the left insertion portion 42a and ions attracted to the right insertion portion 42c cause the left inner wall (hereinafter referred to as the “left inner wall”) of the first through-hole 40a. 43a) and the inner wall on the right side of the second through hole 40b (hereinafter referred to as the "right inner wall portion" and denoted by 43b) may be scraped off. This is inconvenient in ensuring the service life of the discharge module 4 .

Therefore, the inventors (or others) of the present application, as a result of extensive studies, came up with a new idea of arranging the glass plates 46a and 46b on the surface of the resin interposed between the ground electrode 42 and the discharge needle 41. . According to this, between the ground electrode 42 and the discharge needle 41, not only the resin but also the glass plates 46a and 46b are interposed. Since the glass plates 46a and 46b are interposed between the discharge needle 41 and the resin, the ions attracted to the ground electrode 42 collide with the glass plates 46a and 46b instead of the resin. .

As is well known, inorganic materials such as the glass plates 46a and 46b have stronger intermolecular bonding strength than resins such as PBT. Therefore, even if ions collide, it will not be scraped as much as the resin. This is advantageous in securing a long service life of the discharge module 4 .

Specifically, in the case of the discharge module 4 according to the present embodiment, the first glass plate 46a is attached to the surface of the left inner wall of the first through hole 40a, while the right inner wall of the second through hole 40b A second glass plate 46b is attached to the surface of .

According to this configuration, among the ions generated by the first discharge needle 41a, ions attracted to the left insertion portion 42a of the ground electrode 42 collide with the first glass plate 46a, while the ions are generated by the second discharge needle 41b. Among the generated ions, those attracted to the right insertion portion 42c of the ground electrode 42 collide with the second glass plate 46b.

Note that the member for ensuring the life of the discharge module 4 is not limited to the glass plate, and may be any inorganic material. Moreover, the first glass plate 46a is a resin (specifically, a left It may be arranged between the inner wall portion 43a). The same applies to the second glass plate 46b. That is, the second glass plate 46b is at least the resin (specifically, the right It may be arranged between the inner wall portion 43b).

(Configuration Related to Attachment of Discharge Module 4)
As a result of intensive studies, the inventors of the present application provided locking portions 44a and 44b at one longitudinal end of the module main body 40 and locked the locking portions 44a and 44b to the housing 10. In this state, the discharge module 4 is constructed so as to be attached to the front face 10f of the housing 10 by rotating the module body 40 about these locking portions 44a and 44b as fulcrums. .

With this configuration, the notification light 6 can be smoothly inserted into the third through hole 40c without being buried in the housing 10. FIG.

Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12A and the like, a pair of left and right locking portions 44a and 44b are provided at the upper end portion of the module body 40. As shown in FIG. The left and right locking portions 44a and 44b both protrude upward from the upper end portion of the module body 40, and are configured to be capable of being locked to the upper end portion of the front surface 10f of the housing 10, respectively. ing.

That is, the upper end of the front face 10f of the housing 10 protrudes slightly forward as shown in FIG. 11 and the like. The lower surfaces of the projecting portions are recessed on the left and right sides, respectively, and the left and right locking portions 44a and 44b can be inserted from below into the respective recessed portions. By inserting the left and right locking portions 44a and 44b into the front surface 10f of the housing 10, the module body 40 can be locked to the housing 10 (see arrow A1 in the upper diagram of FIG. 14). ).

In the discharge module 4 according to the present embodiment, the left and right engaging portions 44a and 44b are engaged with the front surface 10f of the housing 10 (in particular, the upper end portion of the front surface 10f). The module body 40 can be rotated with the portions 44a and 44b as fulcrums (see arrow A2 in the lower diagram of FIG. 14). The rotation axis at this time is parallel to the left-right direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13 and the like, a pair of left and right hook portions 45a and 45b are provided at the lower end portion of the module body 40. As shown in FIG. Both of these hook portions 45a and 45b project rearward from the lower end portion of the module main body 40, and are configured to be able to engage with the lower end portion of the front surface 10f of the housing 10, respectively. there is

Here, in the discharge module 4 according to the present embodiment, the left and right hook portions 45a and 45b are engaged with the front surface 10f ( In particular, it can be locked to the lower end of the front face 10f). By locking both the left and right engaging portions 44a and 44b and the hook portions 45a and 45b to the front surface 10f of the housing 10, the mounting of the discharge module 4 to the housing 10 is completed.

Both of the engaging portions 44 a and 44 b are provided at the upper end portion of the module body 40 . Here, the first and second through holes 40a and 40b in which the first and second discharge needles 41a and 41b are arranged are both provided in the upper part of the module main body 40. A third through-hole 40 c through which 6 is inserted is provided in a lower portion of the module main body 40 .

Therefore, the third through hole 40c is spaced apart from the locking portions 44a and 44b in the vertical direction more than the first and second through holes 40a and 40b. Therefore, when the module body 40 is rotated around the engaging portions 44a and 44b as fulcrums, the third through-hole 40c makes a larger turn than the first and second through-holes 40a and 40b. This is useful for smoothly inserting the notification illumination 6 into the third through hole 40c.

Further, when the module body 40 is rotated about the engaging portions 44a and 44b as fulcrums, the third through hole 40c approaches the notification illumination 6 obliquely from above. On the other hand, the notification lighting 6 also protrudes diagonally forward and upward. By making the approaching direction of the third through-hole 40c substantially coincide with the projecting direction of the notification lighting 6 in this manner, it is advantageous for smoothly inserting the notification lighting 6 into the third through-hole 40c. .

<Sirocco Fan 5>
As shown in FIG. 1, the sirocco fan 5 is arranged substantially in the center of the housing space S, and is rotatably supported with its central axis Cs along the left-right direction. As can be seen from FIG. 1 , the sirocco fan 5 is arranged to be surrounded by the power supply board 2 , the high voltage circuit 3 , the discharge module 4 , the notification lighting 6 and the control board 7 .

Further, as already explained, the sirocco fan 5 according to the present embodiment sucks air from the intake port 11 provided on the left side surface 10l of the housing 10, and blows air from the air outlet provided on the front surface 10f of the housing 10. Air can be exhaled from 12. The sirocco fan 5 is arranged upstream of the discharge module 4 in the direction of air flow in the static eliminator 1 . Therefore, the air discharged from the sirocco fan 5 is blown forward while taking in the air ionized by the discharge needles 41 .

The air blown out from the sirocco fan 5 is supplied to a region that spreads forward in a substantially conical shape with the center of the opening of the blowing port 12 as the apex and the blowing direction Co as the central axis. Among the regions that spread out in a substantially conical shape, a region within a range of a predetermined distance d1 along the blowing direction Co from the blowing port 12 corresponds to the static elimination region R2 described above. By supplying ionized air to the static elimination region R2, it is possible to blow ions onto the work W placed in the static elimination region R2.

<Notification lighting 6>
As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the notification light 6 is arranged in the front and lower space of the accommodation space S, and is formed to project obliquely upward and forward as described above. The notification illumination 6 has a light source 62 and a lens 61 through which the light emitted from the light source 62 passes, and is configured to irradiate the light toward the static elimination region R2.

Specifically, the light source 62 is configured as a so-called LED pointer and arranged on the control board 7 . The light source 62 can change its irradiation mode based on a control signal generated by the controller 72 of the control board 7 . The irradiation mode to be changed includes at least one of the color of the irradiation light, the irradiation pattern, the ON/OFF state of the illumination, and the amount of the irradiation light.

The light source 62 according to the present embodiment is configured such that the color of the emitted light is changed as an example of the illumination mode. Although the details will be described later, the light source 62 can change the color of its irradiation light from green to orange based on calculations executed in the control board 7 .

Further, the optical axis Cl of the lens 61 is tilted obliquely upward as described above. crossed. Regarding this point, please also refer to the crossing angle θ shown in FIGS. 4 and 11 .

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the illumination light from the notification illumination 6 spreads obliquely upward and forward in a substantially conical shape with the lens 61 as the apex and the optical axis Cl as the central axis. The region that spreads out in a substantially conical shape corresponds to the irradiation region R1 by the notification lighting 6. As shown in FIG. By arranging the work W within the irradiation region R1, the work W can be irradiated with the irradiation light.

The lens 61 shown in FIG. 2 intersects the optical axis Cl and the blowing direction Co, so that on a plane parallel to the blowing port 12, the irradiation area R1 irradiated by the information lighting 6 and the gas supply mechanism The irradiation light can be directed so that at least a part of each of the static elimination regions R2 to which air is supplied by the sirocco fan 5 overlaps with each other.

In particular, the lens 61 according to the present embodiment directs the irradiation light so that the irradiation region R1 and the static elimination region R2 substantially coincide with each other at a position separated by a predetermined distance d1 from the blowing outlet 12 along the blowing direction Co. can be made

<Indicator 8>
As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the indicator lamp 8 is arranged in the space on the rear side and the upper side of the accommodation space S, and is configured so that the light emission state can be visually recognized from the rear surface 10 b side of the static eliminator 1 .

Specifically, the indicator lamp 8 can change its light emission mode based on the control signal generated by the control board 7, similarly to the notification illumination 6. FIG. The light emission mode to be changed includes at least one of the color of the display light, the light emission pattern, the on/off state of the light emission, and the light amount of the display light.

The indicator lamp 8 according to the present embodiment is configured to change the color of the display light as an example of its light emission mode. Although the details will be described later, the display light 8 can change the color of its display light from green to orange based on calculations executed in the control board 7 .

<Back side switch 9>
As shown in FIG. 7, the rear side switch 9 is arranged on the rear side 10b of the static eliminator 1 and below the indicator lamp 8, and is positioned on the right side in the same direction as the trimmer switch 91 positioned on the left side in the horizontal direction. and a switch group 92 that

Specifically, the trimmer switch 91 is a switch for adjusting the air volume of the sirocco fan 5, and can be operated according to the application, installation situation, etc. of the static eliminator 1 to achieve an appropriate air volume. .

On the other hand, the switch group 92 consists of three switches arranged in the left-right direction. and a switch for switching ON/OFF.

<Control board 7>
As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the control board 7 is arranged in the space on the front side and the lower side of the accommodation space S, and has the above-described charge amount monitor circuit 71 and a controller 72 for performing various processes. ing. Among them, the charge amount monitor circuit 71 has one end electrically connected to the ground electrode 42 and the other end electrically connected to the controller 72 . The charge amount monitor circuit 71 detects a signal corresponding to the charge condition of the work W through the ground electrode 42 and outputs the signal to the controller 72 . The controller 72 can output control signals to the notification illumination 6, the indicator lamp 8 and the like based on the input signal from the charge amount monitor circuit 71. FIG.

(Charge amount monitor circuit 71)
Here, the principle of detection by the charge amount monitor circuit 71 will be briefly described.

As described above, ions can be generated by applying a high voltage to the discharge needle 41 . The ions thus generated will contain substantially the same number of cations and anions.

Generally, at least some of the ions produced by discharge needle 41 will be attracted to ground electrode 42 as described above. At that time, if the ions are not consumed for static elimination of the workpiece W, the ions attracted to the ground electrode 42 contain substantially the same number of positive ions and negative ions as before. Become.

Here, if the work W were negatively charged, the cations generated in the discharge needle 41 would be consumed by the amount required to neutralize it. As a result, the ions attracted to the ground electrode 42 contain more negative ions than positive ions, unlike the previous case.

That is, when the workpiece W is negatively charged, many negative ions are attracted to the ground electrode 42 at the beginning of the static elimination. After that, when the static elimination is completed, the positive ions are no longer consumed, so the ground electrode 42 again contains the same number of negative ions and positive ions.

As described above, there is a correlation between the number of ions attracted to the ground electrode 42 and the electrification state (discharge state) of the work W. FIG. Since the ground electrode 42 is electrically connected to the charge amount monitor circuit 71 , when ions are taken into the ground electrode 42 , a current flows through the charge amount monitor circuit 71 through the ground electrode 42 . Therefore, since the magnitude of the current flowing through the charge amount monitor circuit 71 indirectly indicates the number of ions attracted to the ground electrode 42, the magnitude of the current and the aforementioned correlation should be considered. , the electrification state of the workpiece W can be determined.

The charge amount monitor circuit 71 can detect a signal corresponding to the charge state of the workpiece W by performing various processes on the current flowing through the ground electrode 42 . In order to perform such processing, the charge amount monitor circuit 71 according to the present embodiment has a low-pass filter 71a and a full-wave rectifier circuit 71b in order from the ground electrode 42 side toward the controller 72 side.

In general, when the discharge needle 41 and the ground electrode 42 are separated from each other, these members form a circuit equivalent to a capacitor. Therefore, when alternating current is applied to the discharge needle 41 , the alternating current also flows through the ground electrode 42 . Therefore, even if the ions are attracted to the ground electrode 42 and a current is generated, the ions may be submerged in the alternating current caused by the applied voltage, which may hinder determination of the charged state of the workpiece W.

Therefore, providing the low-pass filter 71a that does not allow the AC current caused by the applied voltage to pass through is advantageous in determining the charging state of the work W. FIG. As is clear from this, it is desirable that the low-pass filter 71a be configured so as not to transmit at least a band including the frequency of the applied voltage.

Also, since the current generated by the ions being attracted to the ground electrode 42 is generally an alternating current, converting it into a direct current by the full-wave rectifier circuit 71b is advantageous in determining the charging state of the workpiece W. .

Thus, the charge amount monitor circuit 71 detects a signal corresponding to the charge state of the workpiece W and outputs the signal to the controller 72 .

(controller 72)
The controller 72 is a control unit based on a well-known microcomputer. Although not shown, the controller 72 is composed of a central processing unit (CPU) that executes programs and, for example, RAM and ROM. and a memory for storing data, and an I/F circuit for inputting/outputting electrical signals. The controller 72 is an example of "control means".

The controller 72 executes various calculations based on the operation input to the back side switch 9 and the signal detected by the charge amount monitor circuit 71, etc., through the power supply board 2, the sirocco fan 5, the high voltage circuit 3, and the like. air containing ions is emitted, and illumination by the notification illumination 6 is controlled through the light source 62 .

By the way, the inventors of the present invention have newly found that there is a need in the technical field of the static eliminator 1 to make the user aware of the charging state of the workpiece W. In order to meet such needs, it is conceivable to use the indicator lamp 8 provided on the rear surface 10b side, but depending on the installation state of the static eliminator 1, the light emission state may not be visually recognized well, making it difficult to recognize the charging state. It is possible that

Therefore, the inventors of the present application focused their attention on the notification illumination 6 described above, newly created a control method thereof, and discovered the present disclosure as a result of extensive studies.

Specifically, the controller 72 determines the charging state of the work W based on the signal detected by the charging amount monitor circuit 71, and changes the irradiation mode of the notification illumination 6 according to the charging state. It is configured.

For example, by switching the irradiation mode between when the workpiece W is charged and when it is not charged, the user can be made to recognize the charged state. As a result, the charging state of the work W can be well recognized.

In general, when the static eliminator 1 is configured to be compact, the casing 10 is also configured to be compact. In this case, even if the indicator lamp 8 is provided on the rear surface 10b of the housing 10, it may be difficult to visually recognize it.

On the other hand, when the illumination mode of the notification illumination 6 is changed as in the configuration described above, the visibility of the illumination light does not deteriorate no matter how compact the housing 10 is configured. The user can grasp the charging state of the work W only by looking at the irradiated light without visually recognizing the housing 10 . Also from this point of view, the configuration according to the present disclosure is effective in making the charging state of the workpiece W well recognized.

The charge state here can be the amount of charge on the workpiece W. FIG. For example, in the present embodiment, the irradiation mode of the notification illumination 6 is changed for two patterns, that is, when the work W is charged and when the work W has been substantially discharged. Instead of this configuration, the irradiation mode may be changed in multiple stages according to the amount of charge on the work W. FIG. For example, the irradiation mode of the notification illumination 6 is changed for three patterns of when the workpiece W is sufficiently charged, when the static elimination of the workpiece W has progressed slightly, and when the static elimination of the workpiece W is completed. good too.

In addition, the controller 72 can change at least one of the color of the illumination light, the illumination pattern, the ON/OFF of the illumination, and the amount of the illumination light as the illumination mode of the notification illumination 6 .

That is, the controller 72 can change the color of the irradiation light or change the irradiation light into a flashing state depending on whether the amount of charge on the work W is large or small. Furthermore, the controller 72 can turn off the light source 62 of the notification illumination 6 or reduce the amount of irradiation light as soon as the amount of charge on the workpiece W decreases. For example, in this embodiment, when the amount of charge on the work W is large, the color of the irradiation light is orange, and when the amount of charge on the work W is small, the color of the irradiation light is green. Of course, these configurations may be combined.

In addition, the controller 72 can change the lighting mode of the indicator lamp 8 so as to interlock with the lighting mode of the notification lighting 6 .

As a result, it becomes possible to recognize the charging state of the workpiece W more satisfactorily. For example, in this embodiment, the indicator lamp 8 is configured to emit orange light when the amount of charge on the work W is large, and to emit green light when the amount of charge on the work W is small.

By the way, depending on the usage and installation situation of the static eliminator 1, it may not be necessary for the user to change the lighting mode of the notification lighting 6. FIG. For example, when the static eliminator 1 is installed on a production line, it may not be necessary to change the irradiation mode at the time of operation after the initial setting. Furthermore, if the irradiation mode is changed for each workpiece W flowing through the production line, the user may be annoyed.

Therefore, the static eliminator 1 turns off the notification illumination 6 by operating the back side switch 9 (specifically, a switch for switching ON/OFF of the notification illumination 6 in the switch group 92). be able to.

In addition, the controller 72 has an electrification condition notification mode in which the illumination mode of the notification illumination 6 can be changed according to the electrification condition of the workpiece W, and the illumination condition of the notification illumination 6 regardless of the electrification condition of the workpiece W. It is configured to be switchable between a non-notification mode in which it is kept constant.

Specifically, the controller 72 changes the irradiation mode of the notification illumination 6 as described above in the charging state notification mode, while changing only the irradiation mode of the indicator lamp 8 in the non-reporting mode.

In this way, the convenience of the static eliminator 1 can be improved by configuring the mode in which the illumination mode of the notification illumination 6 can be changed and the mode in which the illumination mode is not changed.

(Operation of static eliminator 1)
FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating, among the processing operations of the static eliminator 1, the processing related to the lighting mode of the notification illumination 6. As shown in FIG.

First, when the user activates the static eliminator 1 (step S1), the controller 72 causes the notification illumination 6 and the indicator lamp 8 to emit green light (step S2). Then, for example, by moving the work W along the production line, the work W is arranged within the static elimination area R2 as shown in FIG. 2 (step S3).

Subsequently, the controller 72 supplies power to the high-voltage circuit 3 through the power supply board 2 . The high-voltage circuit 3 transforms the power supplied from the power supply board 2, converts it into a sine wave, and applies the high voltage thus generated to the discharge needles 41a and 41b. By applying a high voltage to the discharge needles 41a and 41b, corona discharge is generated and air molecules around the discharge needles 41a and 41b are ionized.

The controller 72 supplies power to the sirocco fan 5 via the power supply board 2 before and after the application of the high voltage to the discharge needles 41a and 41b. The sirocco fan 5 is powered to operate, and blows out air molecules containing ions along the blowing direction Co, thereby supplying ionized air into the static elimination region R2. Here, since the work W has been placed in the static elimination region R2 through step S3 described above, static elimination of the work W is started by being supplied with ions (step S4).

At this time, the controller 72 causes the user to visually recognize the area of the work W where the static elimination is progressing by irradiating light from the notification illumination 6 along the optical axis Cl.

Subsequently, the controller 72 determines whether the static eliminator 1 is set to the charge condition notification mode or the non-report mode (step S5). In the latter case, the subsequent steps are skipped and the control process ends, while in the former case, the process proceeds to step S6 to change the lighting mode of the notification illumination 6. FIG.

Specifically, when the electrification condition notification mode is set, that is, when the process proceeds to step S6, it is determined that the workpiece W is still charged immediately after proceeding to the same step. Therefore, the controller 72 causes the notification illumination 6 and the indicator lamp 8 to emit orange light. On the other hand, when the non-notification mode is set, that is, when the non-notification mode is set, the controller 72 causes the notification illumination 6 and the indicator lamp 8 to emit green light regardless of the state of charge removal of the workpiece W. leave it on.

In steps S7 to S9 subsequent to step S6, the controller 72 determines the charging state of the workpiece W and changes the irradiation mode of the notification illumination 6 based on the determination.

Specifically, in step S7, the controller 72 determines the charging state of the workpiece W based on the amount of ions attracted to the ground electrode 42 among the ions generated by the discharge needles 41a and 41b. Based on the charge status thus determined, the controller 72 determines whether or not the neutralization of the workpiece W is completed (step S8). Here, if it is determined that the neutralization of the work W has not been completed (step S8: NO), the process returns to step S7. In this case, the color of the illumination light remains orange.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the neutralization of the workpiece W has been completed (step S8: YES), the controller 72 changes the lighting mode of the notification lighting 6. FIG. Specifically, the controller 72 according to the present embodiment changes the color of the illumination light from the notification illumination 6 from orange to green, and in conjunction with this, changes the display color of the indicator lamp 8 from orange to green ( step S9).

In this way, the user can grasp the charging state of the work W by changing the lighting mode of the notification lighting 6 according to the charging state of the work W. FIG. Such a configuration is effective in making the charged state of the work W well recognized, as described above.

<Modified example according to the first embodiment>
Although the configuration including the two discharge needles 41a and 41b has been described in the above embodiment, the configuration is not limited to this. The number of discharge needles may be changed according to the dimensions of the housing 10 .

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the notification illumination 6 is configured integrally with the housing 10, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the notification lighting 6 may be configured separately from the housing 10 .

- Second Embodiment -
In the above-described embodiment (first embodiment), the fan-type stationary static eliminator 1 has been described, but the technology disclosed herein can also be applied to other types of static eliminators. Therefore, in this specification, a spot-type stationary static eliminator 201 will be described as a second embodiment.

In the following description, FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the static eliminator 201 according to the second embodiment. 18 is a left side view of the static eliminator 201 illustrated in FIG. 17, FIG. 19 is a right side view of the static eliminator 201 illustrated in FIG. 17, and FIG. 21 is a rear view of the static eliminator 201 illustrated in FIG. 17, FIG. 22 is a plan view of the static eliminator 201 illustrated in FIG. 17, and FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the static eliminator 201 illustrated in FIG.

A static eliminator (hereinafter also simply referred to as a ``static eliminator'') 201 according to the second embodiment is configured as a spot-type stationary static eliminator. That is, this static eliminator 201 has a rectangular thin plate-like fixing portion 210 and other portions 202 to 206 . Of these, the latter portions 202 to 206 are supplied with air and electric power from the outside, generate ions with the supplied electric power, and release the generated ions, similarly to the static eliminator 1 according to the first embodiment. It is configured to be fed forward by air.

Specifically, the static eliminator 201 includes a first pipeline section 202, a second pipeline section 203, a second pipeline section 203, and a second pipeline section 202, which are connected to an air source (not shown) via an air pipeline H in order from the upstream side in the air flow direction. 3 duct section 204 and 4 duct section 205, 5 duct section 206 for blowing out the air that has passed through 1 duct section 202 to 4 duct section 205, and adjacent to 5 duct section 206 and an informing lighting 207 provided at the same time.

Specifically, the first pipeline section 202 and the second pipeline section 203 are fixed to the fixed section 210 and form an integrated pipeline that guides air forward from the rear side. As shown in FIG. 17, an air pipe H is connected to the rear end of the first pipe line portion 202 . This air pipe H exemplifies the "gas supply mechanism" in the second embodiment.

The third pipeline portion 204 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the second pipeline portion 203 about a rotating shaft (see C2 in FIG. 17) extending in the front-rear direction. 22 and 23, the third pipe section 204 guides the air introduced from the rear side outward in the radial direction of the rotating shaft (FIGS. 22 and 23). 23 to the right). The third conduit section 204 is also configured to direct the air radially outward and then direct them forward again.

The fourth pipe line portion 205 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the third pipe line portion 204 about a rotating shaft (see C1 in FIG. 17) extending in the left-right direction. 22 and 23, the fourth pipe line portion 205 directs the air introduced from the rear side radially inward with respect to the rotation axis of the third pipe line portion 204 (Fig. 22 to the left in the state shown in FIG. 23). The fourth conduit section 205 is also configured to direct the air thus guided forward again. The static elimination area according to the second embodiment is an area that spreads in a substantially conical shape with the air blowing direction Co′ in the fifth pipe line portion 206 as the central axis.

As shown in FIG. 20, a discharge needle 241 is provided at the tip of the fifth conduit section 206 . A ground electrode (not shown) configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment is provided around the discharge needle 241 . This ground electrode increases the electric field intensity around the discharge needle 41 . A charge amount monitor circuit (not shown) configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment is electrically connected to the ground electrode. This charge amount monitor circuit includes control means (non shown) are electrically connected.

Note that the notification illumination 207 according to the second embodiment is arranged so as to be adjacent to the downstream end (the ionized air outlet) of the fifth pipe section 206, as shown in FIG. 20 and the like. . In general, the spot type static eliminator 201 has a narrower spread of the static elimination area and is superior in directivity as compared with the fan type static eliminator 201 . Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the optical axis Cl' of the notification illumination 207 is substantially parallel to the air blowing direction Co' in the fifth pipe section 206. As shown in FIG.

When the static eliminator 201 is activated, a high voltage is applied to the discharge needle 241 to generate ions. The ions thus generated are supplied to the static elimination area by the air supplied through the air pipe H. Here, since the ground electrode is provided around the discharge needle 241, the control means according to the second embodiment performs the same procedure as in the first embodiment to check the charged state of the workpiece. can judge.

Then, the control means according to the second embodiment changes the illumination mode of the notification illumination 207 according to the electrification state of the workpiece. This allows the user to grasp the electrification state of the work. Such a configuration is effective in making the charged state of the workpiece well recognized.

Further, since the third pipeline portion 204 is rotatable with respect to the second pipeline portion 203 and the fourth pipeline portion 205 is rotatable with respect to the third pipeline portion 204, It is possible to finely adjust the direction in which the downstream end of the fifth pipeline section 206 points. Therefore, even if the installation space of the static eliminator 201 is limited, the ionized air can be appropriately supplied to the static elimination object.

Further, since the rotation axis of the third pipeline portion 204 with respect to the second pipeline portion 203 and the rotation axis of the fourth pipeline portion 205 with respect to the third pipeline portion 204 are orthogonal to each other, This is advantageous for finely adjusting the direction in which the downstream end points.

-Third Embodiment-
Also, the technology disclosed herein can be applied to a bar-type static eliminator. Therefore, in this specification, a bar-type static eliminator 301 will be described as a third embodiment.

In the following description, FIG. 24 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the static eliminator 301 according to the third embodiment.

A static eliminator (hereinafter also simply referred to as “static eliminator”) 301 according to the third embodiment includes a rod-shaped bar body 310, a plurality of discharge modules 341 and 342 provided on one side surface of the bar body 310, and and a plurality of notification lights 306 provided between the discharge modules 341 and 342 . Specifically, one side surface of the bar body 310 is provided with a plurality of openings 305 along its longitudinal direction, and discharge modules 341 and 342 are provided in each of the openings 305 . Each opening 305 exemplifies the "gas supply mechanism" in the third embodiment.

Here, each of the discharge modules 341 and 342 according to the third embodiment includes a discharge needle 341 protruding from one surface of the bar body 310 and four ground electrodes 342 surrounding the discharge needle 341 as a unit. be made. A plurality of discharge modules 341 and 342 are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the bar body. Further, each discharge module 341 unitized is removable from the bar body 310 .

Also, the notification lighting 306 is arranged between the discharge modules 341 and 342 . That is, when the bar body 310 is viewed along its longitudinal direction, the discharge modules 341 and 342 and the notification lighting 306 are arranged alternately.

Also, the ground electrodes 342 forming the discharge modules 341 and 342 increase the electric field intensity around the corresponding discharge needles 341 . A charge amount monitor circuit (not shown) configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment is electrically connected to the ground electrode. This charge amount monitor circuit includes control means (not shown) for judging the charge state of the workpiece based on the signal detected by the circuit and for changing the irradiation mode of the notification illumination 306 according to the charge state. are electrically connected.

When the static eliminator 301 is activated, a high voltage is applied to the discharge needle 341 to generate ions. The ions thus generated are naturally pushed out from each opening 305 together with air containing the ions, and are supplied to the static elimination area. Here, since the ground electrode is provided around the discharge needle 341, the control means according to the third embodiment performs the same procedure as in the first and second embodiments, thereby It is possible to determine the charging status.

As in the first and second embodiments, the control means according to the third embodiment changes the illumination mode of the notification illumination 306 according to the charging state of the workpiece. This allows the user to grasp the electrification state of the work. Such a configuration is effective in making the charged state of the workpiece well recognized.

<Modified example according to the third embodiment>
In the third embodiment, the configuration in which the discharge modules 341 and 342 and the notification illumination 306 are alternately arranged was exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, after replacing all the information lighting 306 in FIG. Lighting 306 may be positioned.

-Fourth Embodiment-
In addition, the technology disclosed herein can also be applied to a gun-type portable static eliminator. Therefore, in this specification, a gun-type static eliminator 401 will be described as a fourth embodiment.

In the following description, FIG. 25 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of a static eliminator 401 according to the fourth embodiment.

A static eliminator (hereinafter also simply referred to as “static eliminator”) 401 according to the fourth embodiment has an ion and air outlet 403 at the tip of a barrel 410b. A cap 404 is detachably provided. The guard cap 404 has a plurality of air circulation openings 405 in the circumferential direction, and ambient air can flow into the guard cap 404 through the air circulation openings 5 . A trigger 407 is provided on the grip portion 410a of the static eliminator 401, and by pulling the trigger 407, static elimination can be started.

Also, in the vicinity of the guard cap 404, a notification illumination 406 according to the fourth embodiment is provided. As in the first embodiment, the notification illumination 406 is configured to irradiate light toward the static elimination area and change the illumination mode.

A discharge needle and a ground electrode (not shown) are provided around the outflow port 403 of the static eliminator 401 . As with other embodiments, the surrounding air can be ionized by applying a high voltage to the discharge needle, and the electric field strength around the discharge needle can be enhanced by the ground electrode.

An air pipe H′ is connected to the lower end of the grip portion 410a. By supplying air from the outside through this air pipe H′, the air ionized by the discharge needle is blown out from the outlet 403. It can be supplied to the static elimination area. The air pipe H' exemplifies the "gas supply mechanism" in the fourth embodiment.

A charge amount monitor circuit (not shown) configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment is electrically connected to the ground electrode. This charge amount monitor circuit includes control means (not shown) for judging the charge state of the workpiece based on the signal detected by the circuit and for changing the irradiation mode of the notification illumination 306 according to the charge state. are electrically connected.

As in the first, second, and third embodiments, the control means according to the fourth embodiment changes the illumination mode of the notification illumination 406 according to the electrification state of the static elimination target. This allows the user to grasp the electrification state of the work. Such a configuration is effective in making the charged state of the workpiece well recognized.

1 static eliminator 3 high voltage circuit (high voltage generation circuit)
4 Discharge module 40 Module main body 41 Discharge needle 41a First discharge needle 41b Second discharge needle 44a Locking portion 44b Locking portion 42 Earth electrode 5 Sirocco fan (gas supply mechanism)
6 notification illumination 61 lens 7 control board 71 charge amount monitor circuit 72 controller (control means)
8 indicator light 10 housing 10f front surface 10b rear surface (at least one outer surface other than the front surface)
11 Suction port 12 Blow-out port Cs Central axis R2 of sirocco fan Static elimination area W Work (object to be statically eliminated)
201 static eliminator 207 notification lighting 241 discharge needle H air pipe (gas supply mechanism)
301 static eliminator 305 opening (gas supply mechanism)
306 information lighting 341 discharge needle 342 ground electrode 401 static elimination device 406 information lighting H' air pipe (gas supply mechanism)

Claims (14)

a housing provided with an air outlet ;
a fixing part for installing the housing;
a high voltage generation circuit that is housed in the housing and generates a high voltage;
electrically connected to the high voltage generation circuit and configured to ionize surrounding air by being applied with the high voltage generated by the high voltage generation circuit; a discharge needle;
a gas supply mechanism for supplying the air ionized by the discharge needle to the static elimination area;
a ground electrode disposed around the discharge needle, connected to the ground, and provided at the outlet so as to increase the electric field intensity around the discharge needle when the high voltage is applied ;
It is electrically connected to the ground electrode and responds to the electrification state of the static elimination object at a position separated from the blowout port by a predetermined distance in the static elimination area based on the current flowing through the ground electrode. a charge amount monitor circuit for detecting the generated signal;
a notification lighting configured to irradiate light toward the static elimination area and change the irradiation mode;
a control means for judging the charging status of the static elimination object based on the signal detected by the charging amount monitor circuit, and for changing the irradiation mode of the notification illumination according to the charging status;
At a position separated by the predetermined distance from the air outlet, the irradiation light is changed in illumination mode by the information illumination so that the area illuminated by the information illumination and the static elimination area are substantially coincident with each other. A stationary static eliminator characterized by directing it to a static elimination area. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 1,
The control means changes at least one of a color of the illumination light, an illumination pattern, ON/OFF of the illumination, and a light amount of the illumination light as an illumination mode of the notification illumination. Device. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 1 or 2,
The housing has an inlet for sucking air from the outside of the housing ,
The outlet is configured to open in a direction orthogonal to the inlet and to blow air from the inside of the housing,
The discharge needle and the ground electrode are arranged apart from each other at the edge of the opening of the outlet,
The stationary type, wherein the gas supply mechanism is configured to supply the air ionized by the discharge needle to the static elimination area by blowing out the air sucked from the suction port from the blowout port. static eliminator. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 3,
A lens through which the illumination light from the notification illumination passes;
The lens directs the irradiation light so that at least a part of each of the area irradiated by the notification illumination and the static elimination area overlaps each other on a plane parallel to the air outlet. Stationary static eliminator. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 3 or 4,
The gas supply mechanism is composed of a sirocco fan configured to suck air from the inlet and blow air from the outlet,
A stationary static eliminator, wherein the housing is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed along the central axis of the sirocco fan. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 5,
A stationary static eliminator, wherein the notification illumination, the discharge needle, and the ground electrode are arranged along the front surface of the outer surface of the housing where the outlet is open. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 6,
An indicator light provided on at least one outer surface other than the front surface of the outer surface forming the housing and configured to change the light emission mode,
A stationary static eliminator, wherein the control means changes the light emission mode of the indicator lamp in accordance with the charging state of the static elimination object. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 7,
A stationary static eliminator, wherein the indicator lamp is arranged on the rear surface of the outer surface of the housing, which is located on the opposite side of the front surface with the sirocco fan interposed therebetween. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 7 or 8,
The stationary static eliminator, wherein the control means changes the light emission mode of the indicator lamp so as to be linked with the illumination mode of the notification illumination. In the stationary static eliminator according to any one of claims 7 to 9,
the discharge needle and the ground electrode form an integral discharge module,
The discharge module is configured as a separate body from the housing and detachable from the front surface of the housing,
wherein the discharge needle and the high voltage generation circuit, and the ground electrode and the charge amount monitor circuit are electrically connected to each other when the discharge module is attached to the front surface; A stationary static eliminator. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 10,
The discharge module has a module body to which the discharge needle and the ground electrode are attached and which is detachable from the front surface,
A locking portion that can be locked to the housing is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the module main body,
The discharge module is attached to the front surface of the housing by rotating the module body around the locking portion in a state where the locking portion is locked to the housing. A stationary static eliminator characterized by being configured as follows. In the stationary static eliminator according to claim 11,
The notification lighting protrudes forward from the front surface,
The module main body is provided with a through hole through which the notification lighting can be inserted,
A stationary static eliminator, wherein the through-hole is configured such that the notification illumination is inserted through the through-hole when the module body is rotated around the locking portion as a fulcrum. In the stationary static eliminator according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
A stationary static eliminator, wherein the notification illumination is configured separately from the housing. In the stationary static eliminator according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
The control means is
a charging status notification mode capable of changing the illumination mode of the notification lighting according to the charging status of the static elimination target;
A stationary static eliminator characterized by being switchable between a non-informing mode in which the lighting mode of the informing lighting is kept constant regardless of the electrification state of the object to be statically eliminated.

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