JP7325112B2 - Information providing device, fluid control device, information providing method, and computer program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to technology for automatically transmitting new change management information to a fluid control device that requires new change management information.

Conventionally, the film deposition process that forms a thin film on the surface of a semiconductor wafer requires the miniaturization of the thin film. It is used.
However, miniaturization of the thin film requires the fluid control device to perform opening and closing operations more frequently than ever before, and the resulting load may easily cause leakage of the fluid. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for technology that can easily detect fluid leakage in fluid control devices. The detection and prediction of such fluid leakage is based on various environmental factor information and operational information that affect fluid control device abnormalities, including the above-mentioned leakage, such as the frequency of use of the fluid control device, temperature, humidity, and vibration. It is thought that there are many things that can be achieved by collecting data and analyzing correlations with abnormalities.
In addition to predicting and detecting abnormalities, the collection of such information is also useful for selecting the optimal fluid control equipment for the user's usage conditions and manufacturing fluid control equipment that realizes precise film deposition processing. it is conceivable that.

In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200002 proposes a system that obtains operation information from a sensor attached to a fluid control device and analyzes the operation of the fluid control device based on the operation information.

WO2018/168873

Although the system described in Patent Document 1 can acquire operation information from fluid control devices, it does not show how to effectively utilize the operation information. It's becoming
By the way, manufacturers of fluid control devices must appropriately manage change management information relating to changes in the specifications of fluid control devices, etc., and provide this information to users of the fluid control devices. However, for users who provide various types of fluid control devices, proper management and provision of change management information to users is a heavy burden.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to appropriately provide new change management information to a fluid control device that requires the new change management information.

In order to achieve the above object, an information providing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is an information providing apparatus that provides change management information for a fluid control device, the change management information for each of the fluid control devices being stored. It is necessary to provide a management information storage unit, a registration processing unit that registers the new change management information in the change management information storage unit, and the newly registered change management information based on the operation information of the fluid control device. and a change management information transmission unit that transmits the newly registered change management information to the identified fluid control device.

Further, the change management information transmission unit transmits the newly registered change management information to a controller that manages a fluid control device that needs to be provided with the newly registered change management information. good too.

An information providing device according to another aspect of the present invention is an information providing device for providing change management information for a fluid control device, comprising: a change management information storage unit for storing change management information for each fluid control device; a registration processing unit that registers the new change management information in the change management information storage unit; an operation information reception unit that receives operation information indicating that the fluid control device is operating; a change management information transmission unit that transmits the newly registered change management information to the fluid control device.

Further, the operation information receiving unit receives information related to the fluid control device in operation from a controller that manages the fluid control device, and the change management information transmission unit notifies the controller that the fluid control device is in operation. The change management information that is newly registered for the fluid control device that is installed may be transmitted.

A fluid control device according to another aspect of the present invention is a fluid control device capable of acquiring change management information, configured to be able to communicate with an information providing device that provides the change management information, wherein the information providing device On the other hand, it has an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information indicating that it is in operation, and a change management information reception unit that receives the change management information from the information providing device.

Further, it may further include an output unit for outputting the change management information.

An information providing method according to another aspect of the present invention is a method of providing change management information for a fluid control device, comprising a change management information storage unit that stores change management information for each fluid control device. A computer performs a registration process for registering the new change management information in the change management information storage unit, and a fluid control device that needs to be provided with the newly registered change management information based on the operation information of the fluid control device. and a change management information transmission process of transmitting the newly registered change management information to the identified fluid control device.

A computer program according to still another aspect of the present invention is a computer program for providing change management information for a fluid control device, and includes a change management information storage unit for storing change management information for each fluid control device. A registration process for registering the new change management information in the change management information storage unit and provision of the newly registered change management information based on the operation information of the fluid control device to the computer having and a change management information transmission process of transmitting the newly registered change management information to the identified fluid control device.

The computer program can be provided by downloading via a network such as the Internet, or can be provided by being recorded on various computer-readable recording media.

According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately provide new change management information to a fluid control device that requires new change management information.

1(a) is an external perspective view and (b) is a plan view showing a fluid control device that collects operation information in an information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. In the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is an AA cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the fluid control device that collects the operation information, showing (a) a valve closed state and (b) a valve open state. . In the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is a BB cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the fluid control device that collects the operation information, showing (a) a valve closed state and (b) a valve open state. . FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a fluid control device that collects operation information in the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a fluid control device that collects operation information in the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a fluid control device that collects operation information in the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of an information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is a functional block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing executed by the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of other processing executed by the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of other processing executed by the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

An information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The information providing system is a system for providing change management information of the fluid control device V from the user of the fluid control device V to the user of the fluid control device V. FIG.

First, an example of a fluid control device capable of collecting operation information will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following description of the fluid control device, the directions of the members and the like may be referred to as up, down, left, and right depending on the direction on the drawing for convenience, but these refer to the directions of the members and the like when implementing or using the present invention. is not limited to

●Fluid control equipment V
The fluid control device V shown in FIG. 1 is an air-operated direct diaphragm valve, which constitutes a gas unit together with other fluid control devices, a flow control device, etc., controls the process fluid, and treats the object to be processed. do. This fluid control device V includes a valve body 1, a bonnet portion 2, a cover portion 3, and an actuator portion 4, as shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the valve body 1 comprises a base portion 11 in which a flow path is formed, and a substantially cylindrical portion 12 provided on the base portion 11 .
The base portion 11 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and when a plurality of fluid control devices V constitute a gas unit, it is a portion to be installed on a substrate or a manifold block.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cylindrical portion 12 has a hollow shape with an open end face on the side where the bonnet portion 2 is arranged, and the inside of the hollow forms a recess 12a in which the bonnet portion 2 is accommodated.
The cylindrical portion 12 has a length in the axial direction, and one end on the side on which the bonnet portion 2 is arranged and opposite to the base portion 11 is opened, and the cylindrical portion 12 extends from the outside toward the concave portion 12a side. A through slit 12b is provided. Through this slit 12b, the flexible cable 26 extending from the bonnet wall 25 is led out from the inside to the outside.

Below the concave portion 12a and in the base portion 11, an inflow path 111 for inflow of fluid, an outflow path 113 for outflow of fluid, and a valve chamber 112 communicating between the inflow path 111 and the outflow path 113 are formed. The inflow path 111, the outflow path 113, and the valve chamber 112 integrally constitute a fluid flow path.

The annular seat 21 is provided around the opening of the inflow passage 111 in the valve chamber 112 . By bringing the diaphragm 22 into contact with and separating from the sheet 21, the fluid can be circulated from the inflow path 111 to the outflow path 113, or blocked.

The diaphragm 22 is made of a metal such as stainless steel or a Ni-Co alloy, and is a spherical shell-shaped member with a convex central portion. there is When the diaphragm 22 is not pressed by the diaphragm retainer 23, the diaphragm 22 is separated from the seat 21 as shown in FIGS. It will be in a state of communication. On the other hand, when pressed by the diaphragm presser 23, as shown in FIGS. The outflow path 113 is blocked.

The diaphragm presser 23 is provided above the diaphragm 22 and presses the central portion of the diaphragm 22 in conjunction with the vertical movement of the piston 43 .
As shown in FIG. 5, the diaphragm presser 23 is composed of a substantially cylindrical base portion 231 and an enlarged diameter portion 232 having an enlarged diameter at one end on the side that contacts the diaphragm 22 .

The base portion 231 is formed with a bottomed groove 231 a having a length in the axial direction and having an open end on the side opposite to the enlarged diameter portion 232 . A shaft portion of a screw 25d screwed into the screw hole 25c of the bonnet wall 25 is slidably fitted into the groove 231a. The groove 231a and the screw 25d constitute rotation restricting means for restricting the circumferential rotation of the diaphragm presser 23, so that the diaphragm presser 23 moves up and down in conjunction with the piston 43, while rotating in the circumferential direction. Rotation is restricted.

A magnet M1 is attached to the base portion 231 . In this embodiment, the magnet M1 is attached to the opposite side of the groove 231a of the base portion 231, but there is no problem for the position sensor M2 to detect the magnetic force of the magnet M1. It can also be attached to other positions on the base portion 231 as long as it does not hinder the operation of.

The bonnet 24 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is housed in the recess 12 a of the valve body 1 .
The peripheral edge of the diaphragm 22 is sandwiched between the lower end of the bonnet 24 and the valve body 1, and a seal between the diaphragm 22 and the valve body 1 is formed at this portion.
Inside the bonnet 24, there is provided a substantially disc-shaped partition 241 having a through-hole 241a in the center thereof into which the diaphragm presser 23 is inserted.
The bonnet wall 25 is accommodated in a concave portion 24a formed above the partition portion 241 or on the side where the actuator portion 4 is arranged. The partition portion 241 and the bonnet wall 25 are provided with a screw hole 241b and a through hole 25e at positions corresponding to each other, and the bonnet wall 25 is screwed to the bonnet 24 with a bolt 25f.

The partition portion 241 of the bonnet 24 has a constant thickness, and an O-ring O1 is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 241a formed in the partition portion 241 and the diaphragm presser 23. . Thus, the airtightness of the closed space S2 defined by the partition portion 241, the diaphragm 22, and the diaphragm retainer 23 is ensured.
Further, the partition portion 241 of the bonnet 24 is provided with a communication hole 241 d that communicates with the pressure sensor P attached to the bonnet wall 25 . By providing the pressure sensor P through the communication hole 241d, the pressure in the closed space S2 defined by the partition 241, the diaphragm 22, and the diaphragm presser 23 can be measured.

In addition, a through hole 241c is provided in the side surface of the bonnet 24 for leading out the flexible cable 26 led out from the bonnet wall 25 housed inside.

The bonnet wall 25 is a member arranged inside the bonnet 24 . The bonnet wall 25 is formed by hollowing out a thick, substantially disc-shaped member into a substantially C shape in a plan view. At the center of the bonnet wall 25, a through-insertion hole 25a is provided through which the base portion 231 of the diaphragm retainer 23 is inserted. Further, an opening 25b is provided for opening the through hole 25a radially outward of the bonnet wall 25. As shown in FIG.

A screw hole 25c is formed at a predetermined portion of the thickness of the bonnet wall 25. The screw hole 25c is threaded radially outward from the insertion hole 25a. A screw 25d is screwed into the screw hole 25c from the outside, and the axial center portion of the screwed screw 25d escapes to the through-insertion hole 25a side to form the groove of the diaphragm presser 23 inserted through the through-insertion hole 25a. 231a so as to be slidable.

The bonnet wall 25 is provided with through holes 25 e at positions corresponding to the screw holes 241 b of the bonnet 24 . A bolt 25f is screwed into the screw hole 241b and the through hole 25e while the bonnet wall 25 is disposed on the partition portion 241 of the bonnet 24, thereby fixing the bonnet wall 25 to the bonnet 24. As shown in FIG.

In the vicinity of the opening 25b on the outer peripheral surface of the bonnet wall 25, a flat plate-shaped position sensor M2 is attached so as to cover the opening 25b. This position sensor M2 is a magnetic sensor that senses a change in the distance between it and the magnet M1 attached to the diaphragm presser 23. Through sensing, it is possible to measure not only the open/closed state of the fluid control device V, but also the degree of opening. can. The position sensor M2 attached to the bonnet wall 25 is fixed at a predetermined position regardless of vertical movement of the piston 43 and the diaphragm presser 23 accompanying the opening and closing operation of the fluid control device V. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cover portion 3 presses and holds the actuator body 41 and the valve body 1 integrally, and also fixes the circuit board 27 and the connector 28 provided on the circuit board 27 to the fluid control device V. It constitutes a fixing means for
The cover portion 3 includes a cover 31 and flat plates 32 and 33 .

The cover 31 is substantially U-shaped, and the end portions of the actuator body 41 and the valve body 1 are fitted inside the cover 31 .
Both side surfaces of the cover 31 are provided with screw holes 31a corresponding to positions where the actuator body 41 is fitted. As a result, when the screw 31b is screwed into the screw hole 31a with the valve body 1 fitted inside, and the tip of the screw 31b is brought into pressure contact with the valve body 1, the valve body 1 is clamped inside the cover 31. can be done.

Further, a screw hole 31c is provided in the thick portion of the cover 31. As shown in FIG. The plates 32 and 33 are attached to the cover 31 by screwing the screws 31d into the screw holes 31c through the through holes 32b and 33b of the plates 32 and 33 .

The plates 32 and 33 are fixed to the cover 31 with screws in a state in which the ends of the actuator body 41 and the valve body 1 are fitted inside the cover 31 . and holds the valve body 1 under pressure.
A tongue-shaped notch 32a is formed below the plate 32, and the flexible cable 26 is led out to a circuit board 27 on which a connector 28 is provided through the notch 32a.

The plate 33 is screwed to the plate 32 and the cover 31 with the circuit board 27 interposed between the plate 32 and the plate 32 , and holds the circuit board 27 under pressure.
A substantially rectangular through hole 33a is provided in the center of the plate 33, and the connector 28 provided on the circuit board 27 is pulled out from the through hole 33a.

Here, the base portion 11 has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and the cover portion 3 has the connector 28 facing the diagonal direction of the rectangular base portion 11 as shown in FIG. 1(b). It is fixed at V. The reason for fixing the connector 28 in such an orientation is as follows. That is, when a gas unit is composed of a plurality of fluid control devices V, due to the demand for integration, the directions of the adjacent rectangular bases 11 are arranged in the same direction to eliminate gaps as much as possible, and they are mounted on the base or manifold block. A fluid control device V is preferably provided. On the other hand, when they are arranged and integrated in this manner, it becomes difficult to connect terminals and the like to the connector 28 . Therefore, by orienting the connector 28 in the diagonal direction of the base portion 11, a wider space for connection can be secured compared to the case where the connector is orientated toward the fluid control device V arranged right beside. As a result, it is easy to connect a terminal or the like to the connector 28, and problems such as disconnection due to bending or twisting of the terminal or the like can be prevented. It is also possible to prevent problems such as

The actuator section 4 is arranged on the bonnet section 2 .
The actuator section 4 includes an actuator body 41, an actuator cap 42, a piston 43, and a spring 44, as shown in FIG. Although the internal structure of the actuator section 4 is omitted in FIG. 4, the internal structure is as shown in FIGS.

Actuator body 41 is interposed between piston 43 and bonnet 24 .
As shown in FIG. 4, the actuator body 41 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a through-hole 41a in the central portion along the length thereof, into which the piston 43 and the diaphragm presser 23 are inserted. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the piston 43 and the diaphragm presser 23 are in contact with each other in the insertion hole 41a, and the diaphragm presser 23 moves up and down in conjunction with the vertical movement of the piston 43. As shown in FIGS.

A peripheral wall 411 made of an annular ridge is formed on the upper end surface on the side where the piston 43 is arranged, and is between the flat horizontal surface inside the peripheral wall 411 and the lower end surface of the enlarged diameter portion 431 of the piston 43 . is formed with a driving pressure introduction chamber S1 into which a driving pressure is introduced.

A male screw is cut on the outer peripheral surface of the actuator body 41 on the side where the piston 43 is arranged. Body 41 is attached to one end of actuator cap 42 .

A central portion of the actuator body 41 in the longitudinal direction is formed in a substantially hexagonal shape when viewed in cross section, and the hexagonal portion when viewed in cross section and the upper end portion of the valve body 1 are pressed integrally by the cover 31 .

The actuator cap 42 is a cap-shaped member with an open bottom end, and accommodates a piston 43 and a spring 44 therein.
The upper end surface of the actuator cap 42 is provided with an opening 42 a that communicates with the driving pressure introduction passage 432 of the piston 43 .
The lower end of the actuator cap 42 is closed by screwing the upper part of the actuator body 41 .

The piston 43 moves up and down according to the supply and stop of the driving pressure, and causes the diaphragm 22 to contact and separate from the seat 21 via the diaphragm presser 23 .
Approximately the center of the piston 43 in the axial direction is enlarged in diameter like a disk, and this portion constitutes an enlarged diameter portion 431 . The piston 43 receives the biasing force of the spring 44 on the upper surface side of the enlarged diameter portion 431 . A drive pressure introduction chamber S1 to which a drive pressure is supplied is formed at the lower end side of the expanded diameter portion 431 .

Further, inside the piston 43, a drive pressure introduction path 432 is provided for communicating an opening 43a formed on the upper end face and a drive pressure introduction chamber S1 formed on the lower end side of the enlarged diameter portion 431. ing. The opening 43a of the piston 43 communicates with the opening 42a of the actuator cap 42, and an introduction pipe for introducing driving pressure from the outside is connected to the opening 42a, whereby the driving pressure is introduced into the driving pressure introduction chamber S1. supplied.

An O-ring O21 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter portion 431 of the piston 43, and this O-ring O21 seals between the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter portion 431 of the piston 43 and the peripheral wall 411 of the actuator body 41. ing. An O-ring O22 is also attached to the lower end side of the piston 43, and this O-ring O22 seals between the outer peripheral surface of the piston 43 and the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 41a of the actuator body 41. These O-rings O21 and O22 form a drive pressure introduction chamber S1 that communicates with the drive pressure introduction path 432 in the piston 43, and ensure airtightness of the drive pressure introduction chamber S1.

The spring 44 is wound on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 43 , contacts the upper surface of the enlarged diameter portion 431 of the piston 43 , and urges the piston 43 downward, that is, in the direction of pushing down the diaphragm 22 .

Here, the opening and closing operations of the valve accompanying the supply and stop of the drive pressure will be referred to. When air is supplied from an introduction pipe (not shown) connected to the opening 42a, the air is introduced into the drive pressure introduction chamber S1 through the drive pressure introduction path 432 in the piston 43. As shown in FIG. Accordingly, the piston 43 is pushed upward against the biasing force of the spring 44 . As a result, the diaphragm 22 separates from the seat 21 to open the valve, allowing the fluid to flow.
On the other hand, when the air is no longer introduced into the driving pressure introduction chamber S1, the piston 43 is pushed downward by the biasing force of the spring 44. As shown in FIG. As a result, the diaphragm 22 abuts against the seat 21 to close the valve, thereby blocking the flow of fluid.

The fluid control device V includes a pressure sensor P and a position sensor M2 as an operation information acquisition mechanism for acquiring operation information inside the device.
As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure sensor P is mounted on the lower surface of the bonnet wall 25 or on the channel side, and is defined by the diaphragm 22, the partition 241 of the bonnet 24, and the diaphragm presser 23 via the communication hole 241d. connected to the closed space S2. The pressure sensor P is composed of a pressure-sensitive element that detects a pressure change, a conversion element that converts a pressure value detected by the pressure-sensitive element into an electric signal, and the like. Thereby, the pressure sensor P can detect the pressure in the closed space S<b>2 defined by the diaphragm 22 , the partition 241 of the bonnet 24 , and the diaphragm presser 23 .
A packing 29 is interposed in a portion where the pressure sensor P communicates with the communication hole 241d to ensure an airtight state.
The pressure sensor P may detect either gauge pressure or atmospheric pressure.

The position sensor M2 senses a change in distance from the magnet M1 attached to the diaphragm retainer 23, so that it is possible not only to grasp the open/closed state of the fluid control device V but also to measure the lift amount.
The opening/closing operation of the valve can be detected by the position sensor M2 as follows. That is, the position sensor M2 is fixed inside the valve body 1 together with the bonnet wall 25 and the bonnet 24, while the magnet M1 moves up and down according to the vertical movement of the diaphragm retainer 23. As shown in FIG. As a result, the operation of the diaphragm presser 23 and the valve opening/closing operation are controlled based on the change in the magnetic field generated between the magnet M1, which moves up and down according to the vertical movement of the diaphragm presser 23, and the position sensor M2 whose position is fixed. It can be detected and the amount of lift can be measured.

Various sensors can be used as the position sensor M2, but the position sensor M2 according to one example has a planar coil, an oscillator circuit, and an integrating circuit, and the distance from the magnet M1 at the facing position is measured. The oscillation frequency changes according to the change. Then, by converting this frequency with an integrating circuit and obtaining an integrated value, the opening/closing state of the fluid control device V and the lift amount can be measured.

In this embodiment, the position sensor M2 composed of a magnetic sensor is used. Other types of sensors, such as optical position sensors, can also be used, as long as they are capable of measuring the distance of .
Also in the fluid control device V according to the present embodiment, it is desirable to select position sensors including the position sensor M2 whose position detection accuracy is within ±0.01 mm to ±0.001 mm. As a valve for the semiconductor manufacturing process, fine control of the degree of opening of about ±0.01 mm is required in order to realize fine fluid control. This is because vibration generated by a pump or the like is detected and noise is generated.

In this example, one end of a flexible communication cable 26 is connected to each of the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2, and the other end of the flexible cable 26 is provided outside the fluid control device V. connected to the circuit board 27 . The circuit board 27 is configured with a processing module for transmitting and receiving information, thereby transmitting information detected by the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2 to an external terminal connected to the connector 28. can.

In the fluid control device V, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) is used for the flexible cable 26 and circuit board 27, and the flexible cable 26, circuit board 27, and connector 28 are integrally constructed. By using a flexible substrate for the flexible cable 26 and the circuit substrate 27, it becomes possible to use the gap between the members as a wiring route, and as a result, the fluid control device V itself can be made smaller than when a coated wire is used. can do.
Further, the processing module may be stored in the fluid control device V separately from the circuit board 27, or may be configured as part of the pressure sensor P or the position sensor M2.
Also, the type and shape of the connector 28 can be appropriately designed according to various standards.

In addition, as the operation information acquisition mechanism realized by the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2 described above, there are a driving pressure sensor for detecting the driving pressure, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the flow path, the piston 43 or the diaphragm presser 23 It is also possible to provide a limit switch or the like for detecting the behavior of

In the fluid control device V described above, the piston 43 and the diaphragm presser 23 are configured separately, but the magnet M1 is attached to the diaphragm presser 23 . Thereby, the operation failure of the diaphragm presser 23 can be determined. That is, normally, the diaphragm retainer 23 rises following the piston 43 when the valve is opened. In some cases, the diaphragm presser 23 does not follow the piston 43 and remains in contact with the diaphragm 22 even though the piston 43 has risen. As a result, the diaphragm 22 may remain blocking the flow path. However, even in such a case, since the magnet M1 is interlocked with the diaphragm presser 23 in the fluid control device V, it is possible to determine the operation of the diaphragm presser 23 from the value detected by the position sensor M2, and to determine malfunction. can.

In addition, the position sensor M2 is attached to the diaphragm presser 23 that does not move up and down like the piston 43 and the diaphragm presser 23 in accordance with the opening/closing operation of the fluid control device V. This is possible because the relative movement of the diaphragm presser 23 can be identified. Therefore, the member to which the position sensor M2 should be attached is fixed at a predetermined position regardless of whether the fluid control device V is opened or closed, in order to identify the operation of the diaphragm presser 23 and determine malfunction. If it is

The fluid control device V may be provided with information display means such as a liquid crystal panel for displaying operation information and the like. In addition, notification means may be provided for outputting a notification sound or emitting light according to the result of processing by built-in software.

A plurality of fluid control devices V configured as described above are usually integrated to constitute a fluid control device (gas unit) together with a flow rate control device and the like.
In this way, when a plurality of fluid control devices V constitute a fluid control device, the fluid control devices V are densely arranged. Therefore, when providing a panel for displaying data in each fluid control device V, it is preferable to provide it on the upper surface of the actuator section 4, or at least above it, so that it can be easily viewed.

Functional Configuration of Operation Information Collection Device 6 FIG. 7 shows a fluid control device V incorporating an operation information collection device 6 that collects operation information, and an information providing device that receives operation information and provides change management information. 7 shows the functional configuration of .
As described above, the fluid control device V includes, as the operation information acquisition mechanism 5, the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2 for detecting the device operation capable of detecting the opening/closing operation and the state change. Detected values detected by the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2 are collected as operation information.

The motion information collecting device 6 constitutes functional blocks including a collection processing unit 61 , an extraction processing unit 62 , a communication processing unit 63 , a setting information storage unit 64 and a motion information storage unit 65 .

The collection processing unit 61 collects the detection values acquired by the motion information acquisition mechanism 5 as motion information, and registers the collected motion information in the motion information storage unit 65 . In this embodiment, for example, operation information such as the pressure in the closed space S2, the lift amount of the diaphragm presser 23, and the opening degree of the fluid control device V can be collected by the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2.
It should be noted that these operation information are only examples, and other types of operation information can be acquired by providing the fluid control device V with an operation information acquisition mechanism 5 other than the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2, such as a temperature sensor. be able to.

Note that the motion information registration by the collection processing unit 61 may be performed by directly registering the detected value acquired by the motion information acquisition mechanism 5 as motion information, or by registering appropriately processed data. may The processing referred to here includes, for example, converting the detected value into a chronological rate of change, executing a predetermined calculation based on the detected value to obtain a value such as the thrust force or average moving speed of the piston 43, or performing a predetermined threshold value calculation. are appropriately discarded by comparison.
In addition, the operation information registered by the collection processing unit 61 includes detection values by the operation information acquisition mechanism 5, processing data based on the detection values, identification information that can identify the fluid control device V, and detection values. Log information such as the time and the period of use of the fluid control device V, setting information such as the type of fluid used and settings that are appropriately changed by the user, drive voltage obtained from peripheral devices connected to the fluid control device V, and Peripheral device information such as driving pressure, usage environment information such as temperature and humidity of the external environment, and the like are included.

The extraction processing unit 62 refers to the setting information storage unit 64, and extracts the action information that is set to be available according to the availability of provision set for each content of the action information.

The communication processing unit 63 is a functional unit that enables data communication based on a predetermined communication protocol, and transmits operation information to the information providing device 7 via a predetermined communication network such as a public line such as the Internet or a dedicated line. can do.

The setting information storage unit 64 is a storage unit that stores setting information regarding whether or not to provide each content of operation information to the information providing device 7 .
The user of the fluid control device V can arbitrarily set whether or not to provide each content of the operation information. It is possible.

The operation information storage unit 65 is a storage unit that stores operation information of the fluid control device V. FIG.
The motion information stored in the motion information storage unit 65 is collected by the collection processing unit 61 , extracted by the extraction processing unit 62 and provided to the information providing device 7 .

Functional configuration of information providing device 7 The information providing device 7 includes a registration processing unit 71, an identification processing unit 72, a discrimination processing unit 73, an extraction processing unit 74, a communication processing unit 75, an operation information storage unit 76, and a change management information storage. 77 constitutes a functional block.

The registration processing unit 71 registers new change management information in the change management information storage unit 77 .

Based on the operation information, the identification processing unit 72 can identify the type or type of the fluid control device V that has acquired the operation information. For identification of the fluid control device V, it suffices if the corresponding change management information can be specified.

The determination processing unit 73 determines whether or not the fluid control device V is in operation. For example, it is determined that the device is operating when operation information is received from the fluid control device V, or when an inquiry about the operating state is sent to the fluid control device V and a response to the inquiry is received. It is determined that it is. On the other hand, when the operation information is not received from the fluid control device V for a certain period of time, or when the response to the inquiry about the operation status is not received, it is determined that the fluid control device V is not in operation.

The extraction processing unit 74 refers to the change management information storage unit 77 and extracts change management information corresponding to a predetermined fluid control device V. FIG.

The communication processing unit 75 is a functional unit that enables data communication based on a predetermined communication protocol, and receives motion information from the motion information collecting device 6 via a predetermined communication network such as a public line such as the Internet or a dedicated line. It is possible to receive and transmit the change management information to the fluid control device V and the user terminal used by the user of the fluid control device V. FIG.

The motion information storage unit 76 is a storage unit that stores motion information provided from the motion information collection device 6 .
Note that the manufacturer of the fluid control device V uses the operation information stored in the operation information storage unit 76 to develop new products, identify and anticipate abnormalities in the fluid control device V, and determine the correlation between predetermined operations and the occurrence of abnormalities. It can be used to analyze relationships and improve the accuracy of these predictions and analyses.

The change management information storage unit 77 is a storage unit that stores change management information of the fluid control device V. FIG.
The change management information is, for example, the product number, manufacturer, parts information, etc. of the fluid control device V, and is information that contributes to appropriate use and management of the fluid control device V regardless of its name.

In the above-described embodiment, motion information is provided via a predetermined communication network by the communication processing unit 63 included in the motion information collecting device 6 and the communication processing unit 75 included in the information providing device 7. , it is not limited to this, and can be according to other aspects.
For example, the information can be provided via an external memory connected to the connector 28 provided in the fluid control device V, or by directly connecting the information providing device 7 according to the present embodiment to the connector 28 .

In addition, when the communication processing unit 63 transmits operation information to the information providing device 7 via a predetermined communication network such as a public line such as the Internet or a dedicated line, , and communication between the fluid control device V and the relay device is configured by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), infrared communication, or Zigbee (registered trademark), and the relay device and the information providing device 7 can also be configured by a public line such as the Internet.

The motion information may be provided at an arbitrarily set predetermined cycle such as one hour or one day. It may be performed at the same timing.

In addition, the collection and provision of operation information of the fluid control device V is not limited to the example by the fluid control device V itself. As shown in FIG. It can also be executed by the motion information collecting device 6 provided in the controller C. FIG.
In this example, the controller C is configured to be able to communicate with one or more fluid control devices V via the network NW, and in addition to function units that manage, control, etc. the one or more fluid control devices V, an operation An information collection device 6 is provided.

In this case, the network NW2 between the fluid control device V and the controller C is not particularly limited as long as it enables data transmission and reception. , a LAN (Local Area Network), a predetermined dedicated line, a communication cable, etc., and it does not matter whether it is wired or wireless.

Such provision of operation information from the controller C to the information providing device 7 can be performed via a communication network NW1 such as a public line such as the Internet or a dedicated line. It should be noted that, regardless of this, it is also possible to perform it through an external memory.

●Processing Flow FIG. 9 shows an example of processing executed by the information providing system according to the present embodiment.
In the fluid control device V, detected values such as the pressure in the closed space S2, the lift amount of the diaphragm presser 23, and the opening of the fluid control device V are detected as motion information by the pressure sensor P and the position sensor M2 that constitute the motion information acquisition mechanism 5. is obtained (S101).

The motion information collecting device 6 collects motion information by the collection processing unit 61 and stores it in the motion information storage unit 65 (S102).
The motion information collecting device 6 extracts motion information from the motion information storage unit 65 by the extraction processing unit 62 at a predetermined timing, and transmits the motion information to the information providing device 7 (S103).
The timing of transmitting the motion information to the information providing device 7 may be an arbitrarily set predetermined cycle, or may be each time the motion information is collected.

The information providing device 7 stores the motion information received from the motion information collecting device 6 in the motion information storage unit 76 (S104).
The determination processing unit 73 refers to the operation information storage unit 76 at a predetermined timing to determine the fluid control device V in operation (S105). In this example, the determination processing unit 73 determines that the fluid control device V that has provided the operation information within a certain period of time is in operation.
The identification processing unit 72 identifies the change management information corresponding to the fluid control device V determined to be in operation based on the operation information of the fluid control device V. The type, type, etc. are identified (S106).

The extraction processing unit 74 extracts the change management information of the identified fluid control device V from the change management information storage unit 77 (S107). The extracted change management information is transmitted to the fluid control device V (S108), and the fluid control device V outputs the change management information via a predetermined output unit (S109).
If the change management information can be output by a user, such as a display provided in the fluid control device V or a user terminal configured to be able to communicate with the fluid control device V, the change management information can be output. Not limited.

Note that the information providing device 7 may transmit change management information to the fluid control device V according to another different aspect, together with the processing according to the present embodiment described above, or separately.
For example, at the timing when new change management information is registered in the change management information storage unit 77, the change management information is transmitted to the fluid control device V corresponding to the change management information. In this case, information on the fluid control device V used by the user is stored in advance in a user information storage unit or the like, and the user who needs to provide new change management information refers to the user information storage unit. and specifies the fluid control device V used by the user.

In such an example, the process shown in FIG. 10 is performed.
That is, when new change management information is registered in the change management information storage unit 77 (S201), the information providing device 7 causes the identification processing unit 72 to identify the fluid control device V in which the new change management information is registered. (S202).
In response, the extraction processing unit 74 extracts new change management information corresponding to the identified fluid control device V (S203), and transmits this to the fluid control device V (S204).
The fluid control device V outputs change management information through a predetermined output unit (S205).

In this example, when the controller C intervenes as shown in FIG. 8, the information providing device 7 transmits and receives information to and from the controller C.
Further, as in the above-described embodiment, the change management information may be transmitted to the controller C, or may be transmitted to the user terminal used by the user.

In another example, an inquiry is made as to whether or not the fluid control device V is in operation, and whether or not to provide change management information is determined according to the contents of this response.

In such an example, processing as shown in FIG. 11 is performed.
That is, the information providing device 7 transmits an inquiry about the presence or absence of operation to the fluid control device V registered in advance in a predetermined storage unit (S301).
In response to this, a response indicating that the fluid control device V is operating is transmitted (S302), and when the information providing device 7 receives the response, it is assumed that the fluid control device V is operating. Determine (S303).

The extraction processing unit 74 extracts the change management information of the operating fluid control device V from the change management information storage unit 77 (S304), and transmits the change management information to the fluid control device V (S305).
In response to this, the fluid control device V outputs change management information via a predetermined output unit (S306).

In this example, when the controller C intervenes as shown in FIG. 8, the information providing device 7 transmits and receives information to and from the controller C.
Further, as in the above-described embodiment, the change management information may be transmitted to the controller C, or may be transmitted to the user terminal used by the user.

Further, in the information providing system according to the present embodiment described above, it is also possible to change the destination of change management information depending on whether or not the fluid control device V is in operation. For example, if it is determined that the fluid control device V is operating, change management information is transmitted to the fluid control device V, and if it is determined that the fluid control device V is not operating, the The change management information may be transmitted to the user terminal of the user of the fluid control device V. FIG.

According to the information providing system according to the present embodiment described above, the new change management information is automatically transmitted to the fluid control device V that requires the new change management information.

In the present embodiment described above, the change management information may be added or include useful information for each user who receives the change management information.
Specifically, it is information such as product numbers used by each user within the company. Useful information for each user is registered in a separately provided storage unit, and when the change management information is transmitted to the user, the user is identified and the useful information for each user is provided to the user. good too.
In addition, useful information for each user may be appropriately received from the user of the fluid control device V, registered, and reflected.

C Controller M1 Magnet M2 Position sensor P Pressure sensor S1 Driving pressure introduction chamber S2 Closed space V Fluid control device 1 Valve body 11 Base part 12 Cylindrical part 2 Bonnet part 21 Seat 22 Diaphragm 23 Diaphragm holder 24 Bonnet 25 Bonnet wall 26 Flexible cable 27 circuit board 28 connector 29 packing 3 cover section 31 cover 32 plate 33 plate 4 actuator section 41 actuator body 42 actuator cap 43 piston 44 spring 5 motion information acquisition mechanism 6 motion information collection device 61 collection processing section 62 extraction processing section 63 communication processing Unit 64 Setting information storage unit 65 Operation information storage unit 7 Information adding device 71 Registration processing unit 72 Identification processing unit 73 Discrimination processing unit 74 Extraction processing unit 75 Communication processing unit 76 Operation information storage unit 77 Change management information storage unit

Claims (7)

An information providing device for providing change management information for fluid control equipment,
a change management information storage unit that stores change management information for each fluid control device;
a registration processing unit that registers the new change management information in the change management information storage unit;
an identification processing unit that identifies, based on the operation information of the fluid control device, the newly registered fluid control device that needs to be provided with the change management information;
a change management information transmission unit that transmits the newly registered change management information to the identified fluid control device;
Information provider. The change management information transmission unit transmits the newly registered change management information to a controller that manages a fluid control device that needs to be provided with the newly registered change management information.
The information providing device according to claim 1. An information providing device for providing change management information for fluid control equipment,
a change management information storage unit that stores change management information for each fluid control device;
a registration processing unit that registers the new change management information in the change management information storage unit;
an operation information receiving unit that receives operation information indicating operation from the fluid control device;
a change management information transmission unit that transmits the newly registered change management information to the operating fluid control device;
Information provider. The operation information receiving unit receives information related to the fluid control device in operation from a controller that manages the fluid control device,
The change management information transmission unit transmits the change management information newly registered regarding the operating fluid control device to the controller.
4. The information providing device according to claim 3. A fluid control device capable of acquiring change management information,
configured to communicate with an information providing device that provides the change management information,
an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information indicating that the information providing device is in operation;
a change management information receiving unit that receives the change management information from the information providing device;
an output unit that outputs the change management information ,
Fluid control equipment. A method for providing change management information for a fluid control device, comprising:
A computer having a change management information storage unit that stores change management information for each fluid control device,
a registration process of registering the new change management information in the change management information storage unit;
identification processing for identifying the newly registered fluid control device that needs to be provided with the change management information, based on the operation information of the fluid control device;
a change management information transmission process for transmitting the newly registered change management information to the identified fluid control device;
How to provide information. A computer program for providing change management information for a fluid control device,
For a computer having a change management information storage unit that stores change management information for each fluid control device,
a registration process of registering the new change management information in the change management information storage unit;
identification processing for identifying the newly registered fluid control device that needs to be provided with the change management information, based on the operation information of the fluid control device;
a change management information transmission process for transmitting the newly registered change management information to the identified fluid control device;
computer program.

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