Control cabinet and associated plug-in control device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control cabinet for at least one electric drive controller (2), comprising: a control cabinet housing (3); a first cabinet compartment (4.1) constructed in the control cabinet housing (3), having at least one air inlet (5) for fresh air, at least one first transfer opening (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) and a fresh air passage (7) connecting the at least one air inlet (5) with the at least one first transfer opening (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) via flow technology; and a second cabinet compartment (4.2) constructed in the control cabinet housing (3), having at least one air outlet (8) for exhaust, at least one second transfer opening (9.1, 9.2, 9.3) and an exhaust passage connecting the at least one air outlet (8) with the at least one second transfer opening (9.1, 9.2, 9.3) via flow technology. (10); and a third cabinet compartment (4.3) constructed in the control cabinet housing (3), which is sealed by flow technology relative to the first cabinet compartment (4.1), the second cabinet compartment (4.2) and the external environment (12) of the control cabinet (1), the control cabinet housing (3) having a partition wall (13) separating the third cabinet compartment (4.3) from the flow technology of the first cabinet compartment (4.1) and the second cabinet compartment (4.2), the partition wall having at least one first transfer opening (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) and at least one second transfer opening (9.1, 9.2, 9.3), the third cabinet compartment (4.3) being constructed as a rack having at least one drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), wherein each drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) is configured to accommodate a plug-in control device (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a control cabinet for at least one electric drive controller. The invention also relates to a related plug-in control device. Background Technology

[0002] Patent document EP2797396A2 discloses a control cabinet, particularly for an industrial robot, having a housing, at least one electrical and / or electronic component disposed within the housing, and an electromechanical energy storage device having an electric motor and a rotatably mounted flywheel that can be rotated by the electric motor and is designed to generate airflow to cool the at least one electrical and / or electronic component.

[0003] A cooling device for cooling electrical components of a robot control device using cooling airflow generated by a fan is known from patent document WO2018 / 138041A1. The cooling device has a first housing space for a first electrical component, a second housing space for a second electrical component, and a cooling body wall that separates the first housing space from the second housing space by flow technology. The cooling body wall has a first partition wall surface facing the first housing space and a second partition wall surface facing an opposite intermediate space. The second partition wall surface is provided with a cooling wall protrusion forming at least one flow channel, and the cooling body wall has a cooling air passage configured to transport cooling airflow delivered by at least one fan of the cooling device from the first housing space through the cooling body wall to the intermediate space. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of this invention is to provide a control cabinet that provides better cooling for plug-in control devices inserted into it. Another object of this invention is to provide a plug-in control device with reliable cooling that can be easily and quickly installed in such a control cabinet.

[0005] The objective of the present invention is achieved by a control cabinet for at least one electric drive controller, the control cabinet comprising:

[0006] -Control cabinet housing

[0007] - A first cabinet compartment constructed within a control cabinet housing, having at least one air inlet for fresh air, at least one first transfer opening, and a fresh air passage connecting the at least one air inlet to the at least one first transfer opening via flow technology.

[0008] - A second cabinet compartment constructed within the control cabinet housing, having at least one exhaust outlet, at least one second transfer opening, and an exhaust passage connecting the at least one exhaust outlet to the at least one second transfer opening via flow technology, and

[0009] - A third cabinet compartment constructed within the control cabinet housing is sealed using flow technology relative to the first cabinet compartment, the second cabinet compartment, and the external environment of the control cabinet.

[0010] The control cabinet housing has a partition wall that technically separates the third cabinet compartment from the first and second cabinet compartments. The partition wall has at least one first transfer opening and at least one second transfer opening. The third cabinet compartment is configured as a rack with at least one drawer, wherein each drawer is configured to receive a plug-in control device.

[0011] In drive technology, and especially in robotics, frequency converters are used to operate motors, such as permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs). To achieve an appropriate level of protection (IP), the frequency converter is typically installed in a control cabinet along with the controller. For larger manipulators or industrial robots, significant heat loss occurs within the frequency converter, which must be appropriately dissipated from the control cabinet.

[0012] Because the heat exchanger dissipates a considerable amount of heat and can potentially cause the temperature inside the inverter to rise, inverters are typically installed in control cabinets using a "through-mount technology." However, this requires a rear wall with a suitable cutout in the control cabinet. Through this cutout, the inverter suspends its cooling element in an external cooling duct to directly transfer heat to the outside.

[0013] While this arrangement is technically easy to implement, it has several drawbacks. Because the cooling unit requires a large base surface for high motor current and / or power, the inverters typically must be bolted vertically to the rear wall. Due to their weight and placement far back in the cabinet, ergonomic replacement is difficult. Cooling air typically blows upwards across the cooling unit due to natural convection. That is, inverters mounted higher in the cabinet will receive preheated air from lower-positioned inverters and will no longer be able to effectively dissipate heat. In the case of multi-robot control cabinets, this vertical mounting quickly results in very tall and shallow cabinets. This significantly increases the risk of the control cabinet tipping over.

[0014] The following improvements can be achieved individually or in combination as needed through this invention:

[0015] Simple, fast, and ergonomically designed replaceable controllers (plug-in control devices) reduce setup time. Compact, space-saving structures and scalable systems are possible, significantly simplifying installation.

[0016] To achieve the objectives of this invention, a system with multiple insertion cells can be used. The rack-mount cabinet. Control modules with integrated frequency converters (i.e., plug-in control devices) can be easily and ergonomically pushed horizontally into individual slots and mechanically secured. The control modules have built-in cooling elements, optionally located in the upper, middle, or lower section, and equipped with adjustable fans, and are mechanically pressed against suitable sealing lips in the sidewall of the cabinet. The module's air inlet draws cool air from the fresh air passage through an opening, compresses the cool air through the U-shaped cooling element, and finally releases heat into the exhaust passage through a second opening.

[0017] With the air guidance of the module, the sealed boundary of the IP protection level is no longer flat on the cabinet wall, but extends through the module. That is, the cooling element in the module is sealed relative to the rest of the module and meets the corresponding IP protection level.

[0018] The module’s mechanical locking can be achieved through a tool-free quick-close mechanism that provides not only a sealed connection to the fresh air passage and exhaust passage, but also electrical contacts for the power supply module, as well as other connections such as ballast resistors.

[0019] This efficient arrangement not only makes controller replacement simple, quick, and ergonomic, but also allows for very compact controller insertion, enabling multiple controllers to be stacked in a retractable rack-mount cabinet. Clever airflow guidance through two independent vertical air channels in the side walls ensures that controllers installed at higher positions also receive cool, fresh air without being additionally heated by controllers below. This makes each insert virtually thermally independent of the others.

[0020] Besides the robot controller, the drawer can also be used for other inserts, such as additional shaft modules (i.e., inverters without a controller), insert frames for peripheral equipment and customer assembly, or cooling devices for the internal space of the cabinet. Here, the cooling devices cool the air inside the cabinet and exhaust waste heat (similar to the robot controller) to the side air ducts.

[0021] Customers can also purchase control modules without a rack and install them in their own custom-designed racks. Here, the modules of the proposed technical solution can be used and integrated very flexibly into existing customer rack designs via fresh air and exhaust ducts.

[0022] The partition wall may have at least one separate first transfer opening in the surface area of ​​the adjacent first cabinet compartment, at the height of the drawer, the first transfer opening having a first sealing flange on its side facing the corresponding drawer, the first sealing flange being configured to airtightly abut against the corresponding first sealing mating flange of the suction port on the insert control device in an arrangement in which the insert control device is inserted into and locked into the corresponding drawer.

[0023] The partition wall may have at least one separate second transfer opening in the surface area of ​​the adjacent second cabinet compartment, at the height of the drawer, the second transfer opening having a second sealing flange on its side facing the corresponding drawer, the second sealing flange being configured to airtightly abut against the corresponding second sealing mating flange of the blow-out port on the insert control device in an arrangement where the insert control device is inserted into the corresponding drawer and locked.

[0024] The first sealing flange, the first sealing mating flange, the second sealing flange and / or the second sealing mating flange may each have at least one sealing lip.

[0025] At least one braking resistor may be installed inside the second cabinet. One or more braking resistors may be used to convert electrical energy recovered from the electric motor's operation as it enters generator mode by slowing down the movement of a device controlled by a plug-in control, such as a robotic arm, into heat.

[0026] A cable channel can be constructed on the side of the partition wall between the first and second cabinet compartments that is opposite to the third cabinet compartment. The partition wall has an electrical connector in the surface area of ​​the cable channel. The electrical connector is arranged on the plug-in side toward the third cabinet compartment so that the corresponding electrical mating connector of the plug-in control device inserted and locked in the third cabinet compartment contacts the electrical connector.

[0027] Each drawer in the third cabinet compartment may have a sliding guide configured to movably position insertable control devices inserted into the respective drawers between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the insertable control devices are mechanically, electrically, and air-flow-technically connected to the control cabinet in the locked position; and mechanically, electrically, and air-flow-technically disengaged from the control cabinet in the unlocked position and can be manually pulled out of the control cabinet.

[0028] Each drawer in the third cabinet compartment may have a manually adjustable locking lever configured to selectively move an insertable control device mounted in the respective drawer from an unlocked position to a locked position and / or from a locked position to an unlocked position.

[0029] The object of the present invention is also achieved by a plug-in control device configured to be inserted into a drawer of a third cabinet compartment of a control cabinet according to one or more of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the plug-in control device may be an electric drive controller for a robot, an additional axis drive device, a refrigeration device, or a peripheral insertion frame for an additional device.

[0030] The insert control device may have a latching device configured to cooperate with a locking lever of the control cabinet to convert the movement of the locking lever into sliding movement of the insert control device inside the drawer. Thus, by moving the locking lever about the latching device of the insert control device, the insert control device mounted in the corresponding drawer is selectively moved from the unlocked position to the locked position and / or from the locked position to the unlocked position. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific features of these exemplary embodiments may be considered individually or in combination as needed as general features of the invention, regardless of where they are specifically mentioned herein. Wherein:

[0032] Figure 1 A perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a control cabinet according to the present invention is shown, which has an inserted plug-in control device.

[0033] Figure 2 Shown according to Figure 1 control cabinet and according to Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a plug-in control device.

[0034] Figure 3 A perspective view of a second variant embodiment of the control cabinet according to the invention is shown, which has an inserted plug-in control device.

[0035] Figure 4 Shown according to Figure 3 control cabinet and according to Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of the plug-in control device, and

[0036] Figure 5 An enlarged perspective view of a single exemplary plug-in control device in a control cabinet drawer is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A first exemplary embodiment of the control cabinet 1 is shown. The control cabinet 1 is configured to house at least one electrically driven controller 2, such as... Figure 5 As shown in the image.

[0038] Control cabinet 1 has a control cabinet housing 3.

[0039] A first cabinet compartment 4.1 is constructed within the control cabinet housing 3. The first cabinet compartment has at least one air inlet 5 for fresh air, at least one (in the present embodiment, exactly three) first transfer openings 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3, and a fresh air passage 7 connecting the at least one air inlet 5 to the at least one first transfer opening 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3 via airflow technology. The air inlet 5 is integrated into a cover baffle that encloses the first cabinet compartment 4.1. Figure 1 For clarity, the middle section has been removed. Although the cover is not shown, the location of the air intake 5 is schematically indicated by a horizontal dashed line.

[0040] A second cabinet compartment 4.2 is also constructed within the control cabinet housing 3. This second cabinet compartment has at least one exhaust outlet 8, at least one (exactly three in the current embodiment) second transfer openings 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3, and an exhaust channel 10 connecting the at least one exhaust outlet 8 to the at least one second transfer opening 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3 via flow technology. The exhaust outlet 8 is integrated into a cover baffle that encloses the second cabinet compartment 4.2. Figure 1 For clarity, the middle section has been removed. Although the cover is not shown, the location of the air outlet 8 is schematically indicated by a horizontal line.

[0041] In this embodiment, multiple braking resistors 11 are arranged inside the second cabinet compartment 4.2.

[0042] In addition, a third cabinet compartment 4.3 is constructed in the control cabinet housing 3, and the third cabinet compartment is sealed with fluid technology relative to the first cabinet compartment 4.1, the second cabinet compartment 4.2 and the external environment 12 of the control cabinet 1.

[0043] The control cabinet housing 3 also has a partition wall 13 that fluidly separates the third cabinet compartment 4.3 from the first cabinet compartment 4.1 and the second cabinet compartment 4.2. The partition wall has first transfer openings 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and second transfer openings 9.1, 9.2, 9.3. The third cabinet compartment 4.3 is configured as a rack with at least one drawer 14.1, 14.2, and in the current embodiment, exactly three drawers 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, each of which is configured to accommodate a plug-in control device 2.

[0044] According to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first embodiment and in accordance with Figure 3 and Figure 4In the second embodiment, the partition wall 13 has individual first transfer openings 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3 at the height of drawers 14.1, 14.2, and 14.3 in the surface area of ​​the adjacent first cabinet compartment 4.1. These first transfer openings have first sealing flanges 15.1, 15.2, and 15.3 on the side facing the corresponding drawers 14.1, 14.2, and 14.3. These first sealing flanges are configured to airtightly abut against the corresponding first sealing mating flanges 16.1, 16.2, and 16.3 of the suction opening on the insertable control device 2 in an arrangement in which the insertable control device 2 is inserted into and locked into the corresponding drawers 14.1, 14.2, and 14.3.

[0045] according to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The second implementation method and according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first implementation differs in that it has only one air inlet 5 ( Figure 1 This allows fresh air to flow into the fresh air channel 7, where it is distributed like a chimney to the three first transfer openings 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3; in the second embodiment, each of the three transfer openings 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3 is assigned its own independent air inlet 5. Figure 3 This allocation is achieved through corresponding channel nozzles 25, which connect each transfer opening 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 to its own independent air inlet 5. Figure 3 Connect them together.

[0046] Similar to the first transfer openings 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 of the first cabinet compartment 4.1, the partition wall 13 has individual second transfer openings 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 at the height of drawers 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 in the surface area of ​​the adjacent second cabinet compartment 4.2. These second transfer openings have second sealing flanges 17.1, 17.2, 17.3 on the side facing the corresponding drawers 14.1, 14.2, 14.3. These second sealing flanges are configured to airtightly abut against the corresponding second sealing mating flange of the blow-out port on the insert control device 2 in an arrangement in which the insert control device 2 is inserted into and locked into the corresponding drawers 14.1, 14.2, 14.3.

[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, a cable channel 19 is correspondingly constructed on the side of the partition wall 13 between the first cabinet compartment 4.1 and the second cabinet compartment 4.2 opposite to the third cabinet compartment 4.3. The partition wall 13 has an electrical connector 20 in the surface area of ​​the cable channel 19, which is arranged on the insertion side facing the third cabinet compartment 4.3 so that the corresponding electrical mating connector of the plug-in control device 2 inserted and locked in the third cabinet compartment 4.3 can contact the electrical connector 20. The cable channel 19 is sealed relative to the outside air, particularly at the connection between the channel nozzle 25 and the (invisible) sidewall. Figure 3 The illustrated implementation is advantageous because it provides more space in the cable channel 19, thereby providing more space for additional installations.

[0048] Especially as Figure 5 As shown, each drawer 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 of the third cabinet compartment 4.3 may have a sliding guide 21, which is configured to movably position the insertable control device 2 inserted into each drawer 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 in a locked position. Figure 5 Between the locked and unlocked positions, wherein the insert control device 2 is mechanically, electrically, and air-flow-technically connected to the control cabinet 1 in the locked position; and mechanically, electrically, and air-flow-technically disengaged from the control cabinet 1 in the unlocked position, and can be manually pulled out of the control cabinet 1. For this manual, for example, forward pulling out, the insert control device 2 may have a handle 22.

[0049] like Figure 5 As shown, each drawer 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 of the third cabinet compartment 4.3 may have a manually adjustable locking lever 23, which is configured to selectively move the insertable control device 2, located in the respective drawer 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, from the unlocked position to the locked position. Figure 5 ) and / or from the locking position ( Figure 5 Move to the unlock position, as indicated by arrow P.

[0050] The insert control device 2 has a latching device 24 configured to cooperate with the locking lever 23 of the control cabinet 1 to convert the movement of the locking lever 23 into a sliding movement S of the insert control device 2 within drawers 14.1, 14.2, and 14.3. This movement of the locking lever 23 relative to the latching device 2 of the insert control device 2 selectively moves the insert control device 2 installed in each drawer 14.1, 14.2, and 14.3 from the unlocked position to the locked position. Figure 5 ) and / or from the locking position ( Figure 5Move to the unlock position.

[0051] Figure 2 and Figure 4 A boundary is schematically shown by a thick dashed line L, along which the sealing of the third cabinet compartment 4.3 relative to the first cabinet compartment 4.1 and the second cabinet compartment 4.2 proceeds. In the first embodiment, the cooling element 26 of each plug-in control device 2 is arranged between the control board 27 and the power component of the inverter 28. The plug-in control device 2 according to the first embodiment can therefore be constructed similarly to the control device disclosed in patent document WO2018 / 138041A1. In the second embodiment, the control board 27 and the power component of the inverter 28 are arranged on the same side, i.e., directly adjacent to each other, and the cooling element 26 of each plug-in control device 2 is on the edge side, i.e., arranged next to the power component of the inverter 28, on the side opposite to the control board 27.

Claims

1. A control cabinet for at least one electric drive controller, comprising: Control cabinet housing (3), A first cabinet compartment (4.1) is constructed within the control cabinet housing (3), the first cabinet compartment having at least one air inlet (5) for fresh air, at least one first transfer opening (6.1, 6.2, 6.3), and a fresh air passage (7) connecting the at least one air inlet (5) to the at least one first transfer opening (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) via airflow technology. A second cabinet compartment (4.2) is constructed within the control cabinet housing (3), the second cabinet compartment having at least one exhaust outlet (8), at least one second transfer opening (9.1, 9.2, 9.3), and an exhaust passage (10) connecting the at least one exhaust outlet (8) to the at least one second transfer opening (9.1, 9.2, 9.3) via flow technology, and A third cabinet compartment (4.3) is constructed within the control cabinet housing (3), which is fluid-tightly sealed relative to the first cabinet compartment (4.1), the second cabinet compartment (4.2), and the external environment (12) of the control cabinet (1), wherein, The control cabinet housing (3) has a partition wall (13) that fluidly separates the third cabinet compartment (4.3) from the first cabinet compartment (4.1) and the second cabinet compartment (4.2), the partition wall having at least one first transfer opening (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) and at least one second transfer opening (9.1, 9.2, 9.3), and the third cabinet compartment (4.3) is configured as a rack with at least one drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), wherein each drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) is configured to accommodate a plug-in control device (2), wherein The partition wall (13) has at least one separate first transfer opening (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) in the surface area of ​​the adjacent first cabinet compartment (4.1) at the height of a drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), the first transfer opening having a first sealing flange (15.1, 15.2, 15.3) on its side facing the corresponding drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), the first sealing flange being configured to airtightly abut against the corresponding first sealing mating flange (16.1, 16.2, 16.3) of the suction opening on the insert control device (2) in an arrangement in which the insert control device (2) is inserted into and locked into the corresponding drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), and wherein The partition wall (13) has at least one separate second transfer opening (9.1, 9.2, 9.3) in the surface area of ​​the adjacent second cabinet compartment (4.2) at the height of a drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), the second transfer opening having a second sealing flange (17.1, 17.2, 17.3) on its side facing the corresponding drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), the second sealing flange being configured to airtightly abut against the corresponding second sealing mating flange of the blow-out port on the insert control device (2) in an arrangement where the insert control device (2) is inserted into and locked into the corresponding drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3). The first sealing flange (15.1, 15.2, 15.3), the first sealing mating flange (16.1, 16.2, 16.3), the second sealing flange (17.1, 17.2, 17.3) and / or the second sealing mating flange have sealing lips.

2. The control cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one braking resistor (11) is arranged inside the second cabinet compartment (4.2).

3. The control cabinet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A cable channel (19) is constructed on the side of the partition wall (13) between the first cabinet compartment (4.1) and the second cabinet compartment (4.2) opposite to the third cabinet compartment (4.3), wherein the partition wall (13) has an electrical connector (20) in the surface area of ​​the cable channel (19), the electrical connector being arranged on the plug-in side toward the third cabinet compartment (4.3), such that the corresponding electrical mating connector of the plug-in control device (2) inserted and locked in the third cabinet compartment (4.3) contacts the electrical connector (20).

4. The control cabinet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Each drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) of the third cabinet compartment (4.3) has a sliding guide (21) configured to movably position a plug-in control device (2) inserted into each drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the plug-in control device (2) is mechanically, electrically, and airflow-technically connected to the control cabinet (1) in the locked position, and the plug-in control device (2) is mechanically, electrically, and airflow-technically disengaged from the control cabinet (1) in the unlocked position and can be manually pulled out of the control cabinet (1).

5. The control cabinet according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) of the third cabinet compartment (4.3) has a manually adjustable locking lever (23) configured to selectively move an insertable control device (2) installed in each drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) from the unlocked position to the locked position and / or from the locked position to the unlocked position.

6. A plug-in control device, configured such that the plug-in control device (2) is inserted into a drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) of a third cabinet compartment (4.3) of a control cabinet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The plug-in control device (2) is an electric drive controller for the robot, an additional axis drive device, a refrigeration device, or a peripheral plug-in frame for the additional device.

7. The insertion-type control device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The insert control device (2) has a latching device (24) configured to cooperate with the locking lever (23) of the control cabinet (1) according to claim 5 to convert the movement of the locking lever (23) into a sliding movement (S) of the insert control device (2) inside the drawers (14.1, 14.2, 14.3), thereby causing the insert control devices (2) installed in each drawer (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) to selectively move from the unlocked position to the locked position and / or from the locked position to the unlocked position by the movement of the locking lever (23) with respect to the latching device (24) of the insert control device (2).

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