JPH11248027A - Electromagnetic proportional valve - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify variation work of setting of regulated flow, regulated pressure or its rising lowering delay time by connecting an amplifier unit and a writing unit to each other free to connect and disconnect through a signal conductor to transmit a writing data. SOLUTION: An amplifier unit 3 is mounted on a valve main body 1 to supply a driving electric current in accordance with a plural number of regulated flow rates and their rising lowering delay time to electromagnets 2A, 2B. An operation indicator 4 is provided on the amplifier unit 3 so as to indicate the regulated flow rate at the time of actuating a valve element to electrify the driving electric current to the electromagnets 2A, 2B and its rising lowering delay time. A writing unit 5 has an operating apparatus 7 having a plural number of keys to operate to write a data to set a plural number of the regulated flow rates and their rising lowering delay time and a data indicator 6 to indicate the regulated flow rates and their rising lowering delay time at the time of writing operation by this operating apparatus, and it is provided on the amplifier unit 3 by a connector 9 through a signal conductor 8 free to connect and disconnect.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electromagnetic proportional valve for controlling a flow rate or a pressure by controlling a drive current supplied to an electromagnet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of electromagnetic proportional valve, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 22227/1990. This device includes, in an amplifier unit mounted on a valve body, a plurality of setting devices including a variable resistor that generates a setting signal corresponding to a plurality of stages of adjustment flow rates or adjustment pressures, and setting signals from the plurality of setting devices. Switching selection means for switching and selecting one of them based on an external signal; rising and falling delays for individually adjusting rising and falling delay changes and rising and falling of the setting signal obtained from the switching selection means A time adjusting means and an amplifier for supplying a drive current to the electromagnet according to the setting signal output from the rise / fall delay time adjusting means to the electromagnet, and the setting signal from the setter is operated by the operation of the switching selecting means based on the external signal. The driving current supplied to the electromagnet is changed in a plurality of stages to control the flow rate or the pressure in a plurality of stages.

[0003]

However, in this valve, when the set adjustment flow rate or adjustment pressure or its rise / fall delay time is to be changed, the variable resistor or rise / fall delay of the setter in the amplifier unit is required. Although the adjusting operation of the time adjusting means is performed, since the amplifier unit is mounted on the valve main body, while being restricted by the valve installation place such as a place where the valve is installed is narrow or difficult to reach, the above-described operation is performed. There is a problem that the operation of changing the setting is complicated because the adjustment operation must be performed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic proportional valve which can easily change a setting of an adjustment flow rate, an adjustment pressure, or a rise / fall delay time thereof.

[0004]

Therefore, according to the present invention, an amplifier unit mounted on a valve body or an electromagnet can rewrite data for setting an adjustment flow rate or an adjustment pressure of a multi-stage valve and a rise / fall delay time thereof. A setting unit that includes a storage element for storing and outputs a signal corresponding to data of the storage element, and an amplification unit that supplies a driving current corresponding to an output signal from the setting unit to the electromagnet is provided, and the data is stored in the storage element. The writing unit for writing is provided separately from the amplifier unit, and the amplifier unit and the writing unit are detachably connected via a signal line for transmitting write data.

According to such a configuration, in order to change the setting of the adjustment flow rate, the adjustment pressure, or the rise / fall delay time, when it is necessary to rewrite the data of the storage element for setting the adjustment flow rate, the adjustment pressure, or the rise / fall delay time, the signal line is used. The writing unit connected to the amplifier unit can write the data required for new setting to the storage element and rewrite the data.The writing unit can be arranged separately from the amplifier unit, so the location of the valve The writing unit can be handled in an easily accessible place, and the change operation can be easily performed without being affected by the installation location of the valve.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention in which an electromagnetic proportional valve is applied to a current-controlled directional flow control valve will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the valve, 1 is a valve main body, which is provided with electromagnets 2A and 2B so that a built-in valve body (not shown) can be operated. As shown by the symbol in FIG. 2, this valve restricts the flow between the supply port P and the output port A at an opening corresponding to the driving current by driving the electromagnet 2A, and supplies the supply port by driving the electromagnet 2B. It has a well-known configuration in which a throttle is circulated between the P and the output port B at an opening degree corresponding to the drive current to obtain a control flow rate to the output ports A and B according to the drive current.

Reference numeral 3 denotes an amplifier unit, which supplies a plurality of regulated flow rates and drive currents corresponding to the rise and fall delay times to the electromagnets 2A,
It is mounted on the valve body 1 so as to supply it to 2B. 4
Reference numeral denotes an operation indicator, which is provided on the amplifier unit 3 so as to display the adjusted flow rate and the rise / fall delay time when the valve body is operated by supplying a drive current to the electromagnets 2A and 2B. Reference numeral 5 denotes a writing unit, an operating device 7 having a plurality of keys for writing data for setting a plurality of adjustment flow rates and their rise and fall delay times, and an adjustment flow rate and a writing flow rate when the operating device 7 performs a writing operation. A data display 6 for displaying a rise / fall delay time, and is provided detachably with the amplifier unit 3 by a connector 9 via a signal line 8. Reference numeral 10 denotes an external signal line, which is provided to guide the signals of a later-described switching selector 24 and pattern selector 25 provided to the outside to the amplifier unit 3.

[0008] Amplifier unit 3 and writing unit 5
Are configured as shown in the block diagram of FIG. FIG.
In the writing unit 5, reference numeral 11 denotes an input / output device, which connects the input port 11A to the operating device 7, connects the output port 11B to the data display 6, and provides a data bus line 11C.
Is connected to the common bus line 12 so that write data input by operating the operation device 7 is output to the common bus line 12 and data on the common bus line 12 is input and output to the data display 6. I have.

A communication device 13 has communication terminals 13A and 13B.
Is connected via signal lines 8 to communication terminals 14A and 14B of a communication device 14 provided in the amplifier unit 3 described later. The communication device 13 converts a serial signal transmitted from the communication device 14 into a parallel signal. A transmission / reception unit 13D that outputs the data to the buffer register 13E or converts a parallel signal of the buffer register 13E into a serial signal and transmits the serial signal to the communication device 14. The buffer register 13E of the communication device 13 is connected to the common bus line 12 by the data bus line 13C.
Reference numeral 15 denotes a storage element that stores data in a rewritable manner, and connects the data bus line 15 </ b> A to the common bus line 12. 1
Reference numeral 6 denotes a CPU which operates in accordance with a program stored in the read-only storage element 17, connects the data bus line 16A to the common bus line 12, and connects the storage element 15 with the buffer register 13E of the communication device 13 or the input / output device 11. A parallel digital signal corresponding to data is sent through the common bus line 12 to write and read data.

In the amplifier unit 3 shown in FIG. 3, the communication device 14 is the same as the communication device 13 in the writing unit 5 described above.
, A transmitting / receiving unit 14D having communication terminals 14A and 14B, and a buffer register 14E.
It is connected to the common bus line 19 by the data bus line 14C. Then, the communication devices 13 and 14, the signal line 8, and the connector 9
Constitute data transmission means. Reference numeral 18 denotes a storage element for rewritably storing a plurality of sets of data for setting the adjustment flow rate and the rise / fall delay time, and connects the data bus line 18 </ b> A to the common bus line 19. Reference numeral 20 denotes an input / output device, which is a switching selector 2 having an input port 20A provided outside the amplifier unit 3 via the external signal line 10 shown in FIG.
4 and the pattern selector 25, the output port 20B of which is connected to the operation indicator 4, and the data bus line 20C is connected to the common bus line 19, and is operated by the switching selector 24 and the pattern selector 25. Contact signal to common bus line 1
9 and a parallel digital data signal on the common bus line 19 is input and output to the operation indicator 4.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a digital-to-analog conversion unit which connects the data bus line 21A to the common bus line 19 and connects the analog data line 21B to the amplifier unit 22;
9 is provided so as to convert parallel digital data signals input through the analog data line 9 into analog voltages and output them to the analog data lines 21B. The amplifying unit 22 guides the analog data line 21B of the digital-to-analog converter 21 to the inside and connects the electromagnets 2A and 2B to amplify the analog voltage input from the digital-to-analog converter 21. Is supplied to the electromagnets 2A and 2B as a drive current. Here, the amplifying unit 22 is provided to selectively drive the electromagnets 2A and 2B with the positive and negative output voltages from the digital-to-analog converting unit 21.

A CPU 23 is a read-only storage element 2
6, the common bus line 19
The parallel digital signal is written and read between the buffer register 14E and the storage element 18 of the communication device 14 via the communication device 14, and an appropriate operation is performed to convert the parallel digital signal obtained by the digital-to-analog conversion. To the container 21. And the common bus line 1
The CPU 23, the storage element 18, the read-only storage element 26, and the input / output device 20 connected to the CPU 9 constitute a setting unit 27.

Further, the switching selector 24 installed outside the amplifier unit 3 has four contacts T1, T2, T3, T4.
And connected to the input port 20A of the input / output unit 20 via the external signal line 10, and these four contacts T1, T2, T
3, one of the contacts T4 is closed, and the adjusted flow rate corresponding to the contact and the rise / fall delay time can be read out from the storage element 18. By opening and closing these four contacts, for example, a plurality of contacts as shown in FIG. The stage is provided so as to obtain an adjusted flow rate characteristic for controlling the flow rate. The pattern selector 25 has a plurality of contacts P1, P2,..., Pn and is connected to the input port 20A of the input / output unit 20, and the plurality of contacts P1, P2,.
, Pn is closed and an adjustment flow rate pattern corresponding to the contact is selected.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the state of the adjusted flow rate stored in the storage element 18 and the rise / fall delay time. The data Mi (i = 1, 2,..., N) for the electromagnet 2A and the data of the electromagnet 2B are shown. And data Ni (i = 1, 2,..., N) for forming a set of pattern data PiM (i = 1, 2,..., N) for determining one pattern of valve operation are sequentially formed. In this case, a plurality of patterns of the valve operation are stored in advance, and the contact point Pi for turning on the pattern selector 25 is described above.
Is selected. That is, the pattern selector 25 selects P1M when P1 is on, P2M when P2 is on, and similarly PnM when Pn is on similarly. Then, in the pattern data PiM, the data F1ai, F2ai, F1bi, F2bi (i = 1,
2,..., N) and their rise / fall delay times t1ai, t2a
i, t3ai, t1bi, t2bi, t3bi (i =
1, 2,..., N) are stored in order of addresses in an arrangement as shown in FIG.

Here, the subscript i is 1 for each of these data.
Referring to FIG. 4 showing the control pattern of the valve given by P1M, F1a1 is data giving the adjusted flow rate to be obtained when only the contact T1 of the switching selector 24 is turned on, and t1a1 Is data corresponding to the delay time until this is reached. F2a1 is data that gives an adjusted flow rate to be obtained when the contacts T1 and T2 of the switching selector 24 are simultaneously turned on, and t2a1 is data that corresponds to a delay time until the contact is reached. t3
a1 is data giving the time until the regulated flow rate reaches zero when the contacts T1 and T2 of the switching selector 24 are simultaneously turned off. Further, F1b1 is data that gives an adjusted flow rate to be obtained when only the contact T3 of the switching selector 24 is turned on, and t1b1 is data that corresponds to a delay time until reaching this. F2b1 is data giving an adjustment flow rate to be obtained when the contacts T3 and T4 of the switching selector 24 are simultaneously turned on, and t2b1 is data corresponding to a delay time until reaching this point. t3b1 is data giving the time until the regulated flow rate reaches zero when the contacts T3 and T4 of the switching selector 24 are simultaneously turned off. The meaning of each data is the same in P2M to PnM.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the current-controlled directional flow control valve of the present invention. In FIG. 6, when the process is started and all the contacts Pi of the pattern selector 25 are in an input waiting state of OFF, if there is an input of the write key 7A provided in the operating device 7 of the writing unit 5, the judgment 101 determines the process 103. And writing is performed. The input signal of the write key 7A is sent from the input / output unit 11 of the writing unit 5 to the buffer register 13E of the communication unit 13 by the CPU 16, converted into serial data by the transmission / reception unit 13D, and sent to the communication unit 14 of the amplifier unit 3. The data is transmitted, converted into parallel data by the transmission / reception unit 14D of the communication device 14, and read by the CPU 23 from the buffer register 14E. In the input waiting state, the contact Pi of the pattern selector 25
When one of is turned on, the process proceeds to the process 104 in the judgment 100,
If the pattern data PiM corresponding to the contact is selected and the contact of the switching selector 24 is turned on in the judgment 105,
In step 106, the electromagnet is driven according to the selected pattern.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing in detail the writing process of the process 103 in FIG. In FIG.
First, in a process 201, each data forming the pattern data P1M to PnM stored in the storage element 18 of the amplifier unit 3 is sequentially written to the storage element 15 of the writing unit 5 for each address. That is, the CPU 23 sequentially sends data from the start address F1a1 to the end address t3bn to the buffer register 14E of the communication device 14, which converts the data into serial data by the transmission / reception section 14D and transmits the serial data to the communication device 13 of the writing unit 5 for communication. Transmitting and receiving unit 13 of the device 13
The data is converted into parallel data in D, and the CPU 16 writes the data from the buffer register 13E to the predetermined start address to the end address of the storage element 15 from the buffer register 13E. Next, the edit key 7B of the operating device 7
When there is an input, the process proceeds to a process 203 in a judgment 202 to write data. Next, Tran 204
When the input of the s key 7F is detected, the storage element 1
5 is sequentially written to the original address of the storage element 18. At this time, the data from the start address to the end address of the storage element 15 is sequentially sent to the communication device 13 by the CPU 16 to be converted into serial data and sent to the communication device 14 by the CPU 23.
Are written sequentially.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the data writing process of the process 203 in FIG. 7 in more detail. In FIG. 8, the CPU 16 reads the data written in the storage element 15 from the start address of the storage element 15 for each address and writes the data to the input / output unit 11, and in decision 306, the data input is performed by the data key 7D of the operation unit 7. If there is processing 30
7, the data written to the input / output unit 11 is rewritten to the data keyed in by the data key 7D. If there is no data input, the data written to the input / output unit 11 is left as it is. In response to the input of 7C, the process proceeds to step 309 at decision 308, where the data written or rewritten to the input / output unit 11 is written to the original address of the storage element 15. If the stop key 7E is inputted in the judgment 304, this processing is terminated, but if the stop key 7E is not inputted, data up to the end address can be rewritten.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing in more detail the electromagnet driving process of process 106 in FIG. In FIG. 9, the judgment 401 is made at the contact point T1 or T
When only T1 is turned on in an input waiting state for selecting 3, the electromagnet 2A is selected and the process proceeds to 402. In process 402, the CPU 23 calculates a change rate ΔV1 / ΔT at which the analog voltage output from the digital-to-analog converter 21 reaches a voltage VF1ai corresponding to the flow rate F1ai during a time t1ai from the zero volt, and changes the minute voltage ΔV1. Is output to the digital-to-analog converter 21 every minute time ΔT, and after a lapse of time t1ai, the voltage VF1ai
Is output as a constant parallel signal. This is shown in Figure 1.
0, the analog voltage output by the digital-to-analog converter 21 changes stepwise until it reaches VF1ai.

Then, if T2 is further turned on in decision 403, the process proceeds to 404. CPU 23 in process 404
Indicates that the analog voltage output by the digital-to-analog converter 21 is changed from the voltage VF1ai corresponding to the flow rate F1ai to the flow rate
Rate of change ２V2 reaching voltage VF2ai corresponding to 2ai
/ △ T, outputs a parallel signal for changing the minute voltage △ V2 to the digital-to-analog converter 21 every minute time △ T, and outputs a constant parallel signal corresponding to the voltage VF2ai after the time t2ai has elapsed. . Subsequently, when both T1 and T2 are turned off in the judgment 405, the process proceeds to 406.

In a process 406, the CPU 23 calculates a rate of change ΔV3 / ΔT at which the analog voltage output from the digital-to-analog converter 21 reaches zero volts during the time t3ai from the voltage VF2ai corresponding to the flow rate F2ai.
A parallel signal for changing is output to the digital-to-analog converter 21 every minute time ΔT, and after a lapse of time t3ai, a constant parallel signal corresponding to a voltage of zero volt is output. When only T3 is turned on in the judgment 401, the electromagnet 2B is selected, and the process proceeds to 407. In the process from the process 407 to the process 411 for the electromagnet 2B, the electromagnet 2A
Are performed for the flow rates F1bi and F2bi and the rising and falling delay times t1bi and t2bi, and the output to the digital-analog converter 21 is made.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. Data is written in the storage element 18 of the amplifier unit 3 as shown in FIG. 5, and when the contact P1 of the pattern selector 25 is turned on, the contacts T1, T2,
In accordance with the operations of T3 and T4, the valves are operated by driving the electromagnets 2A and 2B so as to obtain a flow rate in a plurality of stages as shown in FIG. At this time, the writing unit 5 is disconnected from the amplifier unit 3 with the connector 9 removed. When the contact point P1 is turned off when the flow rate pattern is to be changed, when the driving of the electromagnet 2A or 2B is completed, the contact point Pi (i =
1, 2,..., N).
By turning on one of 2, P3, P4,..., Pn, pattern data P2M, P3M, P4 corresponding to the contact point
M,..., PnM can be selected. For this reason, data indicating a plurality of patterns predicted in advance is represented by PiM (i =
1, 2,..., N), a different flow pattern can be selected and used simply by selecting the contact point Pi (i = 1, 2,..., N), and the flow pattern can be changed. Can be performed very easily.

Also, by rewriting the contents of the storage element 18,
When another flow rate pattern is to be obtained, the contact points Pi (i = 1, 2,.
.., N) are turned off, and the writing unit 5 is connected to the amplifier unit 3 by connecting the connector 9 in the input waiting state obtained by turning off the input key. 8, writing can be performed. After the writing is completed, the connector 9 is disconnected again to disconnect the writing unit 5 from the amplifier unit 3, and the valve can be operated by inputting the contacts Pi (i = 1, 2,..., N).

At the time of writing, the writing unit 5
The amplifier unit 3 and the amplifier unit 3 can be separated from each other by the signal line 8, so that even in a place where writing work is difficult such as a place where a valve is narrow or a high place, a writing operation can be performed from a place having good workability. In addition, the flow rate pattern can be easily changed without being restricted by the installation location of the valve as in the related art. Since the flow rate pattern can be set by the data written in the storage element 18, compared with the case of adjusting and setting a plurality of variable resistors as in the related art, no work experience is required, and even an unskilled operator can easily set the flow rate pattern. Can be set to the optimal flow pattern. In addition, since the writing unit 5 may always be separated from the amplifier unit 3, there is an advantage that a single writing unit 5 can handle a plurality of valves.

In this embodiment, the pattern data PiM is selected according to the turning on of the contact Pi of the pattern selector 25. However, the plurality of contacts P1, P
The pattern data PiM corresponding to the code may be selected by a so-called BCD code or BIN code in which the on / off of Pn is combined. The amplifying unit 22 selectively drives the electromagnets 2A and 2B with the positive and negative output voltages from the digital-to-analog conversion unit 21. However, two channels are provided in the digital-to-analog conversion unit 21 and the positive and negative Electromagnet 2A at output voltage,
The electromagnet 2B may be selectively driven by the positive output voltage of the other channel. Signal transmission between the writing unit 5 and the amplifier unit 3 is performed by the communication devices 13 and 1.
4, the common bus line 12 of the writing unit 5 and the common bus line 1 of the amplifier unit 3
Each of the buffers 9 may be provided with a buffer, and the buffers may be connected by a bus line to transmit signals in parallel, or optical signals may be transmitted in series and connected by an optical fiber cable. Further, in this embodiment, the electromagnetic proportional valve is applied to the directional flow control valve. However, it is needless to say that the electromagnetic proportional valve can be applied to the flow control valve and the pressure control valve, and the amplifier unit may be mounted on the electromagnet.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the setting of the adjustment flow rate or the adjustment pressure or the rise / fall delay time thereof is changed, the writing unit connected to the amplifier unit via the signal line sets the new setting to the storage element. The necessary data is written, and the writing unit is separate from the amplifier unit and can be arranged separately from it.Therefore, the writing unit can be handled in an easy-to-work place away from the valve installation location, and the valve can be handled. The change work can be easily performed without being affected by the installation location.

Since the setting of the adjustment flow rate or the adjustment pressure and the rise / fall delay time are given based on data stored in a storage element provided in the amplifier unit, a variable resistor is used to provide this setting as in the prior art. Eliminates the need for delicate adjustment work that requires skill such as adjustment, and provides an electromagnetic proportional valve that is easy to handle. A writing unit can be connected to an amplifier unit when necessary, and one unit can be used for multiple valves. It is economical because it can be handled by a writing unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a current-controlled directional flow control valve showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a symbol diagram showing functions of the current-controlled directional flow control valve shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electric circuit constituting an amplifier unit and a writing unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a current-controlled directional flow control valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a state in which an adjustment flow rate and a rise / fall delay time thereof are stored in a storage element provided in the amplifier unit shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the overall operation in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the writing process of FIG. 6 in more detail;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the data write process of FIG. 7 in more detail;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process of driving the electromagnet of FIG. 6 in further detail.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing a state of a step-like analog voltage output by a digital-to-analog converter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 valve body 2A, 2B electromagnet 3 amplifier unit 5 writing unit 18 storage element 21 digital-to-analog converter 22 amplifier 27 setting section

Claims (1)

[Claims] An electromagnetic proportional valve capable of changing a drive current supplied to an electromagnet in a plurality of stages in response to a signal from the outside and controlling a flow rate or a pressure in a plurality of stages according to the drive current. A setting unit that includes a storage element that rewritably stores data for setting an adjustment flow rate or an adjustment pressure and a rise / fall delay time thereof, and that outputs a signal corresponding to the data of the storage element; and a drive corresponding to an output signal from the setting unit. An amplifier unit having an amplifier for supplying current to the electromagnet is mounted on the valve body or the electromagnet, and a writing unit for writing data to the storage element is provided separately from the amplifier unit, and the amplifier unit and the writing unit are written. An electromagnetic proportional valve that is detachably connected via a signal line that transmits data.