JPH07296891A - Connector for emergency stop circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To secure safety by enabling attaching/detaching of a teaching device without stopping operation of a system even in the case where an operation switch of an emergency stop function is equipped in an external device of the teaching device and the like. CONSTITUTION:A mobile short circuit plate 3 is restricted in movement by a stopper part 1a at a position where a circuit side contact and a short circuit contact are insulated from each other by an insulating part. Therefore, when a connector 15 is accidentally separated, a current is cut off similarly as in an ordinary normal close system, and an emergency stop function is operated so as to secure safety. When a worker consciously separates the connectors 11, 15, the mobile short circuit plate 3 is moved while restriction by the stopper part 1a is being released by a claw part, and the circuit side contact can be short-circuited so that a teaching device can be detached without stopping operation of a system. This mobile short circuit plate 3 can be manually moved in the direction for releasing a short circuit and can be utilized as an emergency stop switch.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector structure used for connecting a teaching device having an emergency stop switch for preventing danger and a controller having an emergency stop circuit itself in an industrial machine such as a robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an emergency stop circuit, a normally closed system which has a simple structure and operates reliably has been widely used. This is a method in which a current continues to flow through the emergency stop circuit in a normal state, and when the emergency stop function is operated, the current flow is interrupted by a switch or the like. In this method, the emergency stop function operates even when the current flow is interrupted due to a disconnection or a defective contact portion, so that it has an effect of preventing an accident.

However, this normally closed type emergency stop circuit has a drawback in that the external device and the cable cannot be removed when used in an external device such as a teaching device connected to the control device main body by a cable. there were. This is because the removal of the cable has the same effect as the interruption of the current by the switch or the like.

However, since the teaching device is not necessary during automatic operation of the industrial machine and the teaching device itself is expensive, one teaching device may be used for teaching work of a plurality of industrial machines. In that case, it is common to use a connector for the cable so that it can be removed.However, when the connector on the teaching device side is removed, the emergency stop circuit will not operate with a dedicated short-circuit connector, etc. It was necessary to short-circuit between the electrodes. Furthermore, since the emergency stop function operates when replacing the dedicated short-circuit connector, turn off the power and perform the replacement work to turn the power on again, or replace the work in the emergency stop state. There is also a drawback in that the operation of the industrial machine must be stopped, for example, by performing the above procedure and releasing the emergency stop after the work.
In consideration of removal of the teaching device, a normal open system may be used in which a current is not supplied to the detection circuit when normal and a current is supplied only when the emergency stop function is operated. However, in the case of the normal open system, there is a safety defect that the emergency stop function does not operate when there is a disconnection of the circuit or a defective contact portion.

Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-64083, a contact piece constituting a pair of closed circuits is provided in the connector portion so that the emergency stop function does not operate when the connector is removed although it is a normally closed type. Some are provided. However, in this method, if the connector is accidentally disconnected during teaching work, the emergency stop switch of the teaching device will be disabled, but the industrial machine will continue to operate, so it is safe to connect the connector again. There was a problem that was not secured.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problem in the case where the teaching device is provided with an operation switch having an emergency stop function as shown in the above-mentioned conventional example, and the operator consciously sets the teaching device. It can be easily removed without operating the emergency stop function, and the safety is maintained without damaging the emergency stop function if the teaching device is accidentally disconnected or the wire breaks. To provide a connector.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an external device side contact such as a teaching device having an operation switch having an emergency stop function, a circuit side contact of an emergency stop circuit, and a circuit. A movable short-circuit plate having a short-circuit contact capable of short-circuiting a plurality of contacts at the side contact, an insulating portion for preventing a short circuit between the circuit-side contact and the short-circuit contact, a stopper portion for restricting movement of the movable short-circuit plate, and the stopper It is configured with a claw mechanism that releases the movement restriction by the section and assists the movement of the moving short circuit plate.

[0008]

When the external device is connected, the movement of the movable short-circuit plate is restricted by the stopper portion at the position where the circuit side contact and the short-circuit contact are insulated by the insulating portion. Therefore, if the connector is accidentally disconnected, the current is cut off, the emergency stop function is activated, and safety can be secured, as in the normal normal close system. On the other hand, when the operator intentionally disconnects the connector, the movable short-circuit plate can be moved while releasing the restriction by the stopper portion by the claw portion, and the circuit-side contact can be short-circuited by the movable short-circuit plate. The teaching device can be removed without stopping the operation. Further, this movable short-circuit plate can be manually moved in the direction to release the short circuit, and can be used as an emergency stop switch.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of an emergency stop circuit connector according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the emergency stop circuit signal line 9 and the communication signal line 10 from the control device reach the inside of the circuit side connector 11 via the cable 8 and are connected to the circuit side contact 4 for each signal line. . Also,
The emergency stop switch signal line 12 and the communication signal line 13 from the external device reach the inside of the external device side connector 15 via the cable 14 and are connected to the external device side contact 5 for each signal line. The control device and the external device are electrically coupled by connecting the circuit side contact 4 and the external device side contact 5. The circuit-side connector 11 is combined with the moving short-circuit plate 3 provided with the short-circuit contact 6. In the state shown in FIG. 1, the moving short-circuit plate 3 includes a stopper portion 1a made of an elastic body provided on the circuit side contact housing 1 and a contact protection portion 2c provided on the external device side contact housing 2.
Since the movement is restricted by the short-circuit contact 6, the short-circuit contact 6 provided on the movement short-circuit plate 3 is located at a position where the short-circuit contact 6 comes into contact with the insulating portion 7 provided on the outer periphery of the circuit-side contact 4, and the action of the electrical short-circuit at the circuit-side contact 4 Is not done.

When the operator intentionally disconnects the circuit side connector 11 and the external device side connector 15, as shown in FIG. 3, the push button 2b made of an elastic body provided on the external device side contact housing 2 is pushed. Then, the claw portion 2a including the push button 2b pushes the stopper portion 1a made of an elastic body provided in the circuit side contact housing 1 to shift its position, and the moving short-circuit plate 3
Release the meshing part that restricts the movement of. further,
The claw portion 2a itself is in a state of meshing with the moving short-circuit plate 3.

When the external device side connector 15 is moved from the state shown in FIG. 3 in the direction to be removed from the circuit side connector 11, the movement short-circuit plate 3 is released from the restriction of movement by the stopper portion 1a and meshes with the claw portion 2a. Therefore, it moves together with the external device side connector 15. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the short-circuit contact 6 provided on the movable short-circuit plate 3 reaches the position where it directly contacts the circuit-side contact 4 from the contact position with the insulating portion 7 provided on the outer periphery of the circuit-side contact 4, and the circuit-side contact 4 Short circuit. At this time,
Since the circuit side contact 4 and the external device side contact 5 are still connected and the emergency stop circuit signal line 9 is not opened,
The emergency stop function does not work.

In this state shown in FIG. 4, the operation switch for the emergency stop function provided in the external device is ineffective, but the worker is consciously touching the connector portion, so that the moving short-circuit plate 3 is attached to the worker himself. It is possible to operate the emergency stop function by releasing the short circuit by the short circuit contact 6 of the circuit side contact 4 by moving it by hand to ensure safety.

From the state of FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. 5, the external device side connector 15 is connected to the circuit side contact 4 and the external device side contact 5.
Even when the external device side contact 5 is opened, the circuit side contact 4 is short-circuited by the short-circuiting contact 6 provided on the moving short-circuiting plate 3, and the signal line for the emergency stop circuit is moved. 9 does not open. Further, since the movement of the moving short-circuit plate 3 is restricted again by the stopper portion 1a, the short-circuit contact 6 provided on the moving short-circuit plate 3 is disengaged from the circuit-side contact 4 or the insulating portion 7 provided on the outer periphery of the circuit-side contact 4. It does not move to a position where the contact with the circuit side contact 4 is hindered. That is, it is possible to disconnect the circuit side connector 11 and the external device side connector 15 without operating the emergency stop function.

When the circuit side connector 11 and the external device side connector 15 are accidentally detached from the state of FIG. 1 regardless of the operator's intention, the movement short-circuit plate 3 is restricted in movement by the stopper portion 1a, and the claws are Since the portion 2a is not in mesh with each other, the short-circuit contact 6 provided on the moving short-circuit plate 3 does not move from the position in contact with the insulating portion 7 provided on the outer periphery of the circuit-side contact 4,
Do not short circuit side contact 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the emergency stop circuit signal line 9 is opened at the circuit side contact 4 and the flow of current is interrupted, so that the emergency stop function operates and the safety of the worker is maintained.

When the external device connector 15 is connected from the state shown in FIG. 5 in which the circuit side contact 4 is short-circuited by the short circuit contact 6 provided on the movable short circuit plate 3, the movable short circuit plate 3 is used.
Since the surface facing the circuit-side connector 11 and the stopper portion 1a are in contact with each other at an inclined surface forming an acute angle, the positions of the circuit-side contact 4 and the external-device-side contact 5 are aligned and the external-device-side connector 15
Just by pushing in, a part of the force by which the contact protection part 2c pushes the movement short-circuit plate 3 works in the direction to release the regulation of movement by the stopper part 1a, so that it is not necessary to push the stopper part 1a with the claw part 2a as in the case of removing. Can be joined.

Although the operation and action have been described based on the embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to these configurations. For example, the claw portion and the stopper portion may be provided on the connector body instead of the contact housing, and the push button may be provided on the stopper portion instead of the claw portion. It does not matter if the claws and the stoppers are not elastic bodies but have an elastic structure using springs. Further, it goes without saying that the arrangement of the short-circuit contacts allows short-circuiting of two or more contacts or contacts that are not adjacent to each other.

[0017]

As shown in the above embodiments, according to the present invention, even when the operation switch having the emergency stop function is provided in the external device such as the teaching device, the operation of the industrial machine is not stopped. The teaching device can be attached and detached. 1
Since the teaching device of a table can be used in a plurality of industrial machines, it is possible to reduce equipment and improve work efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention and is a sectional view.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention and is an external view.

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the operation in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the operation in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the operation in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the operation in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional teaching device connector, and is an external view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Circuit side contact housing 1a Stopper part 2 External device side contact housing 2a Claw part 2b Push button 2c Contact protection part 3 Moving short circuit plate 4 Circuit side contact 5 External device side contact 6 Short circuit contact 7 Insulating part 8 Circuit side cable 9 Circuit side emergency stop signal line 10 Circuit side communication signal line 11 Circuit side connector 12 External device side emergency stop signal line 13 External device side communication signal line 14 External device side cable 15 External device side connector

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A connector, which is electrically coupled by joining a circuit side contact and an external device side contact, has a movable short-circuit contact and an insulating portion at the circuit-side contact portion, and the short-circuit contact is formed by the insulating portion when the connector is joined. It is insulated from the side contacts, and the state of the circuit depends on the external device.When the connector is disconnected or accidentally disconnected, the circuit is opened electrically, but when the operator intentionally disconnects the connector, the circuit is opened. An emergency stop circuit connector characterized in that a side contact is short-circuited by a short-circuit contact, a circuit state does not depend on an external device, and can be detached in an electrically closed state. 2. The stopper portion for preventing the short-circuit contact of the connector from moving from the insulated state to the short-circuited state and for preventing the connector from falling off from the circuit-side contact portion. Connector for emergency stop circuit. 3. The emergency stop circuit according to claim 1, wherein the short-circuit contact of the connector can be manually moved when the external device side connector is not connected, and can be used as an emergency stop dedicated switch. connector.