Monitoring mechanism for control center, and remote monitoring system

Abstract

To provide a monitoring system for a control center that facilitates inspection and monitoring operations.SOLUTION: A monitoring system for a control center has: a housing that has therein a plurality of unit chambers; and one or more control units accommodated in part or all of the plurality of unit chambers, wherein the plurality of housings can be arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction. Internal spaces of the plurality of housings installed adjacent to each other communicate with each other. The monitoring system for the control center comprises: a traveling path that includes a horizontal traveling path extending over the inside of the plurality of housings and in parallel with a direction in which the plurality of housings are arranged adjacent to each other; a traveling body that can travel on the horizontal traveling path; and a control unit that determines an abnormality in the control center. The traveling body has an imaging unit. The control unit executes abnormality determination processing for determining the presence or absence of an abnormality in the control center on the basis of image information picked up by the imaging unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a monitoring mechanism for a control center and a remote monitoring system. [Background technology]

[0002] A motor control center, which is an example of a control center, is a closed switchboard that controls multiple external motors and has the function of centrally managing the multiple motors that are the target of control. This type of control center is configured with multiple unit rooms in a housing, and a control unit is removably inserted into each unit room. Each control unit is assigned to one motor that it controls.

[0003] Inside the motor control center, there is a risk of abnormal heating due to breakdowns, poor insulation, etc. Therefore, regular inspection of each control unit and other electrical equipment is essential.

[0004] Furthermore, in consideration of compatibility, multiple control units may be configured to be the same size even if they have different circuit configurations, functions, etc. In this case, there is a risk that control units with different circuit configurations, functions, etc. may be inserted into the wrong unit chamber. For this reason, a control center that suppresses the occurrence of erroneous insertion of control units is being considered.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a control center including a main body into which a plurality of unit devices are detachably inserted, and an insertion position identification unit that identifies the insertion positions of the plurality of unit devices in the main body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-85822 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] When inspecting and monitoring a motor control center, it is not possible to see inside the unit rooms that house each control unit without opening the individual doors. Also, due to the nature of a motor control center, there are many items that need to be inspected, which means that the inspection takes a lot of time and effort.

[0008] Therefore, we provide a control center monitoring system that makes inspection and monitoring easy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The control center monitoring system has a housing having a plurality of unit rooms therein, and one or a plurality of control units housed in some or all of the plurality of unit rooms, and the housings can be arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction. The internal spaces of the housings installed adjacently communicate with each other. The control center monitoring system includes a running path including a horizontal running path extending through the interiors of the plurality of housings in a direction parallel to the adjacent arrangement direction of the plurality of housings, a running body capable of running on the horizontal running path, and a control unit that determines an abnormality in the control center. The running body has an imaging unit. The control unit executes an abnormality determination process that determines the presence or absence of an abnormality in the control center based on image information captured by the imaging unit.

[0010] The monitoring mechanism for a control center includes a housing having a plurality of unit chambers therein, and one or a plurality of control units housed in some or all of the plurality of unit chambers, and the housings can be arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction. The internal spaces of the housings installed adjacently communicate with each other. The monitoring mechanism for a control center includes a running path including a horizontal running path extending through the interiors of the housings in a direction parallel to the adjacent arrangement direction of the housings, and a running body capable of running on the horizontal running path. The running body has an imaging unit and a communication unit. The communication unit transmits image information captured by the imaging unit to an external device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a monitoring system for a control center according to one embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an example of a control center complex according to one embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an example of a complex according to an embodiment, with the control center located in the center and the doors removed; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an example of a complex according to an embodiment, with the control center located at the left end portion at the center and the doors removed. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a control center with a door removed according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a traveling body of a monitoring system for a control center according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a rail member of a monitoring mechanism of a control center according to an embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a rail member forming a connection between a horizontal runway and a vertical runway of a monitoring mechanism of a control center according to an embodiment; [Figure 9] 1 is a block diagram of a first control unit of a monitoring system for a control center according to an embodiment; [Figure 10] 1 is an example of a table showing a correspondence relationship between a first identification mark and a second identification mark in a monitoring system of a control center according to an embodiment; [Figure 11] 1 is a block diagram of a second control unit of a monitoring system for a control center according to an embodiment; [Figure 12] A flowchart showing the process of a monitoring system for a control center according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] A monitoring system and a monitoring mechanism for a motor control center according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 12. In this specification, the motor control center may be simply referred to as a control center.

[0013] 1 is a system that monitors the occurrence of anomalies within a control center 10 or within a complex 20 of multiple control centers 10. In this specification, the control center monitoring system 100 may be simply referred to as the monitoring system 100. The control center 10 has a function of centrally managing loads, that is, external control targets such as motors.

[0014] The monitoring system 100 is a network system in which a control center 10 and / or a monitoring mechanism 30 within a complex 20, one or more external terminals 200, and one or more external processing devices 300 are communicatively connected via an electric communication line NT.

[0015] The monitoring mechanism 30 and the external terminal 200 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other by the repeater 400 and an electric communication line NT such as the Internet. The monitoring mechanism 30 and the external processing device 300 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other by the repeater 400 and an electric communication line NT such as the Internet. The external terminal 200 and the external processing device 300 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other by the repeater 400 and an electric communication line NT such as the Internet. The repeater 400 can be configured as a so-called access point having a function of relaying communication between devices. The monitoring mechanism 30 and the repeater 400, the external terminal 200 and the repeater 400, and the external processing device 300 and the repeater 400 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other by, for example, a wired or wireless LAN conforming to the Wi-Fi standard.

[0016] The external terminal 200 is, for example, a device provided outside the housing 11, separate from the control center 10, and is an information terminal capable of various information processing. The external terminal 200 can be configured as, for example, a device dedicated to the monitoring system 100, or can be configured as a general-purpose product that can be used for systems other than the monitoring system 100. Examples of the general-purpose product include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, a smart display, etc.

[0017] The external processing device 300 can be configured, for example, as a data server that stores predetermined data or a processing server that performs predetermined calculations, that is, a so-called cloud server. Although not shown in detail, the external processing device 300 includes a computer equipped with a calculation device, a storage device, and the like.

[0018] The control center 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is configured with a vertically long rectangular box-shaped housing 11 as its outer shell. In the following description, the opening side of the housing 11 is referred to as the front side of the control center 10, and the side opposite the opening is referred to as the rear side of the control center 10. Furthermore, the up-down direction of the control center 10 is the up-down direction of the control center 10 relative to the direction of gravity when the control center 10 is installed on the floor in the posture shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, the left-right direction when the control center 10 in Figure 2 is viewed from the front is referred to as the left-right direction of the control center 10. The left-right direction of the control center 10 is also referred to as the row-panel direction of the control center 10.

[0019] 1 and 2, the control center 10 is configured so that multiple housings 11 can be arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, that is, so-called side-by-side mounting. Multiple control centers 10 mounted side-by-side form a complex 20. Note that in Figs. 1 and 2, the control centers 10 are mounted side-by-side in the left-right direction, but one control center and another control center may be arranged back-to-back, that is, adjacent to each other in the depth direction.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 11 includes an opening 12, a left side surface 13, a right side surface 14, a back surface 15, a bottom surface 16, and a top surface 17. The opening 12 is an opening formed in the front surface of the housing 11, and communicates the inside and outside of the housing 11. The housings 11 of the control centers 10 constituting the complex 20 communicate with each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the left and right side surfaces 13 and 14 may have communication portions 131 and 141 formed by cutting out the lower edges. The communication portions 131 and 141 allow one housing 11 to communicate with another housing 11 adjacent to it. As shown in FIG. 5, the left side surface 13 of the housing 11 located at the left end of the complex 20 does not have the communication portion 131. Similarly, although not shown in detail, the right side surface 14 of the housing 11 located at the right end of the complex 20 does not have the communication portion 141.

[0021] The housing 11 has a plurality of unit chambers 18 (four in this case) and a wiring chamber 19 inside. The plurality of unit chambers 18 are formed by dividing the space inside the housing 11 in the vertical direction, and are formed in a rectangular shape with an open front. The wiring chamber 19 is a space for accommodating wiring (not shown). The wiring (not shown) is, for example, electrical wiring connected to a load. The wiring chamber 19 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction and has an open front.

[0022] 1 and 2, the housing 11 further has a plurality of unit chamber doors 181 (four in this case) and a wiring chamber door 191. The unit chamber door 181 opens and closes the front opening of each unit chamber 18. The wiring chamber door 191 opens and closes the front opening of the wiring chamber 19. Each of the doors 181, 191 is, for example, a hinged door.

[0023] The unit chamber 18 and the wiring chamber 19 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the unit chamber 18 is arranged close to the left side surface 13 of the housing 11, and the wiring chamber 19 is arranged close to the right side surface 14 of the housing 11. The unit chamber 18 is also arranged close to the opening 12 on the front surface of the housing 11. That is, a space exists between the unit chamber 18 and the back surface 15 inside the housing 11.

[0024] 5, the unit chamber 18 has a frame 182. The frame 182 constitutes a rectangular box-shaped outer frame of the unit chamber 18. Through windows formed in the frame 182, the wiring chamber 19 and each unit chamber 18 communicate with each other.

[0025] 2 and 5, the control center 10 can accommodate a control unit 40 in each of the multiple unit chambers 18. The control unit 40 is formed into a roughly rectangular box shape, with the outer dimensions set smaller than the inner dimensions of each unit chamber 18. The control unit 40 is configured to be insertable and removable from each unit chamber 18 from the front. In this case, the control unit 40 is attached to or detached from each unit chamber 18 by moving it in the front-rear direction through the front opening.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 40 housed in the unit chamber 18 is exposed toward the wiring chamber 19 between the frames 182 .

[0027] Although not shown in detail, the control unit 40 is composed of a combination of a motor multi-relay that controls a load, such as an external motor, a wiring circuit breaker that functions as a protective device that automatically cuts off the electrical circuit when an overcurrent exceeding a specified value occurs, an electromagnetic contactor that functions as a switch that supplies or cuts off the supply of power to the load by opening and closing it, a thermal relay that functions as a relay to protect the load, and other electrical equipment.

[0028] In addition to the control unit 40, the housing 11 contains a vertical busbar 41 shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and a horizontal busbar, terminals, terminal blocks, electrical wiring, and other electrical appliances not shown. The control unit 40 is disposed toward the front in the depth direction of the housing 11. The vertical busbar 41 extends in the up-down direction at the rear of the control unit 40. In this case, the vertical busbar 41 is located at the center in the depth direction of the housing 11. In this specification, the center in the depth direction does not necessarily mean the center in the depth direction, but does not mean to include the front edge close to the opening 12 or the rear edge close to the rear part.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the control center 10 has a monitoring mechanism 30. The monitoring mechanism 30, together with the motor control center 10 and / or its complex 20, constitutes a part of a monitoring system 100 for the motor control center. The monitoring mechanism 30 includes a running path 50, a running body 60, and a charging station 70. The running path 50 is disposed inside the housing 11 and extends in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. The running body 60 moves along the running path 50 inside the housing 11. The charging station 70 is provided inside the housing 11, and has the function of charging the running body 60.

[0030] When the control center 10 constitutes a part of a complex 20, one mobile unit 60 is arranged for one complex 20. In other words, one mobile unit 60 can move inside a plurality of control centers 10 constituting the complex 20.

[0031] 3 and 4, the running path 50 includes a horizontal running path 51 and a vertical running path 52. The horizontal running path 51 is a running path that extends in the horizontal direction. The vertical running path 52 is a running path that extends in the vertical direction. The horizontal running path 51 is disposed directly or indirectly on the bottom surface 16 of the housing 11.

[0032] The horizontal running path 51 includes a first horizontal portion 511, a second horizontal portion 512, a third horizontal portion 513, a first connecting portion 514, a second connecting portion 515, and a third connecting portion 516. The first horizontal portion 511, the second horizontal portion 512, and the third horizontal portion 513 extend in the left-right direction, that is, parallel to the row direction of the housing 11. The first horizontal portion 511 is disposed forward of the center of the depth direction of the housing 11. The second horizontal portion 512 is disposed rearward of the center of the depth direction of the housing 11. The third horizontal portion 513 is disposed in the center of the depth direction of the housing 11, that is, between the first horizontal portion 511 and the second horizontal portion 512. The third horizontal portion 513 is located in the vicinity of the vertical bus 41.

[0033] The first horizontal portion 511 and the second horizontal portion 512 extend over the entire width of the housing 11 in the left-right direction. In the complex 20, at least one of the first horizontal portion 511 and the second horizontal portion 512 or both of them extend continuously from the inside of one housing 11 to the inside of the other adjacent housing 11. Therefore, one running body 60 can move from the inside of one housing 11 to the inside of the other adjacent housing 11. In this embodiment, both the first horizontal portion 511 and the second horizontal portion 512 extend continuously from the inside of one housing 11 to the inside of the other adjacent housing 11. The third horizontal portion 513 may extend over a part or the entire width of the housing 11 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the third horizontal portion 513 extends over a part of the central part of the housing 11 in the left-right direction.

[0034] The first connection portion 514 is a portion of the running path that connects the first horizontal portion 511 and the third horizontal portion 513. The second connection portion 515 is a portion of the running path that connects the second horizontal portion 512 and the third horizontal portion 513. The third connection portion 516 is a portion of the running path that connects the first horizontal portion 511 or the second horizontal portion 512 and the vertical running path 52. The first connection portion 514, the second connection portion 515, and the third connection portion 516 are formed into a shape that is gently curved to smoothly connect the respective connection objects, so that the running body 60 can move smoothly along each of the connection portions 514, 515, and 516.

[0035] The vertical running path 52 includes a first vertical portion 521 and a second vertical portion 522. Inside one housing 11, the first vertical portion 521 and the second vertical portion 522 are arranged relatively apart. For example, the first vertical portion 521 and the second vertical portion 522 may be arranged diagonally. The first vertical portion 521 is arranged, for example, near the front edge of the housing 11, that is, the opening 12. In this embodiment, the first vertical portion 521 is arranged at the front edge of the right side surface 14 of the housing 11. The second vertical portion 522 is arranged near the rear edge of the housing 11, that is, the rear surface 15. The first vertical portion 521 and the second vertical portion 522 extend upward from the bottom surface 16 of the housing 11. The first vertical portion 521 and the second vertical portion 522 may extend over the entire vertical direction of the housing 11, or may extend over a partial range.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 4, the charging station 70 is disposed inside the housing 11 at a position accessible to the traveling object 60. The charging station 70 can be disposed, for example, at an end or in the middle of the traveling path 50. In this embodiment, the charging station 70 is disposed in the housing 11 disposed at the left end of the complex 20. Specifically, the charging station 70 is disposed at the left end of the first horizontal portion 511 of the housing 11. The traveling object 60 is connected to the charging station 70 by a wired or wireless method, and can receive power from the charging station 70.

[0037] An example of the running body 60 is shown in FIG. 6. The running body 60 has an outer shell formed of a housing 601 formed into a roughly rectangular parallelepiped. The housing 601 includes a front part 61, a left part 62, a right part 63, a back part 64, an upper part 65, and a bottom part 66. The running body 60 also has a plurality of (in this case two sets of) first wheels 67 and four sets of second wheels 68. The first wheels 67 are used when the running body 60 moves along the horizontal running path 51. The second wheels 68 are used when the running body 60 moves along the vertical running path 52.

[0038] The first wheels 67 are arranged near the lower ends, i.e., the bottom 66, of the front and rear parts 61 and 64, forming a pair. The second wheels 68 are formed by combining two annular or disc-shaped parts. The second wheels 68 are arranged at the left and right ends, i.e., near the left side 62 and right side 63, of the front and rear parts 61 and 64, respectively. The shape and number of the wheels of the running body 60 are not limited to those of the first wheel 67 and the second wheel 68 of this embodiment.

[0039] Each of the running paths 51, 52 is formed by combining a plurality of rail members 80, an example of which is shown in FIG. 7. The rail member 80 is formed to include, for example, a surface portion 81, a first flange portion 82, and a second flange portion 83. The surface portion 81 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape and forms a flat surface. As shown in FIG. 8, when the rail member 80 realizes the horizontal running path 51, the surface portion 81 forms a surface perpendicular to the vertical direction, i.e., a surface parallel to the horizontal direction. When the rail member 80 realizes the vertical running path 52, the surface portion 81 forms a surface perpendicular to the left-right direction, i.e., a surface horizontal to the vertical direction.

[0040] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, the first flange portion 82 and the second flange portion 83 are formed to protrude from both ends of the surface portion 81 in the longitudinal direction toward the inside of the housing 11. Tip portions 821, 831 of the flange portions 82, 83 protrude toward the center of the rail member 80 in the short direction of the surface portion 81. That is, the tip portions 821, 831 form a surface extending parallel to the surface portion 81. When the running body 60 moves along the horizontal running path 51 as shown by the arrow A in Fig. 8, the running body 60 moves on the surface portion 81 by the first wheel 67 in a state where the running body 60 is sandwiched between the tip portions 821, 831 of the flange portions 82, 83 in the front-rear direction. When the running body 60 moves along the vertical running path 52 as shown by arrow B in Figure 8, the running body 60 moves in the vertical direction with the second wheel 68 sandwiched from the left and right between the surface portion 81 and the tip portions 821, 831 of each flange portion 82, 83.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7, the rail members 80 are configured to be connectable to each other. Therefore, when a new housing 11 is added to the complex 20, the horizontal running path 51 can be extended by connecting the rail members 80 inside the existing housing 11 and the rail members 80 inside the housing 11 to be added. In addition, the vertical running path 52 can be formed to the required length by appropriately connecting the rail members 80 in the vertical direction. For example, when the control unit 40 is housed only in a part of the lower side of the multiple unit chambers 18, the rail members 80 can be connected and extended to a height that covers the unit chamber 18 housing the control unit 40.

[0042] For example, the connection of the multiple rail members 80 can be realized by fitting of concave and convex shapes. In this embodiment, each of the flange portions 82, 83 has a concave portion 84 at one end in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 80, and a convex portion 85 having a shape corresponding to the shape of the concave portion 84 at the other end. Therefore, when the other end of one rail member 80 is brought close to one end of the other rail member 80, the convex portion 85 of the one rail member 80 fits into the concave portion 84 of the other rail member 80, and the one rail member 80 and the other rail member 80 are connected to each other.

[0043] 9, the monitoring mechanism 30 has a control unit 31, a first imaging unit 321 and a second imaging unit 322 as an imaging unit, a travel processing unit 33, an imaging processing unit 34, and a communication unit 35. The control unit 31 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 311 and a storage area 312 such as a non-volatile memory such as a ROM or a RAM. Note that the control unit 31 does not need to be configured as one physical device, and can be configured by combining multiple devices or by multiple independent devices.

[0044] The memory area 312 stores, for example, a computer program for implementing the monitoring mechanism 30. The monitoring system 100 virtually implements the travel processing unit 33 and the image capture processing unit 34 by software by executing the program stored in the memory area 312 in the CPU 311. Note that the travel processing unit 33 and the image capture processing unit 34 may be implemented in hardware as an integrated circuit integrated with the control unit 31, or may be configured as an individual unit separate from the control unit 31.

[0045] The control unit 31 may be provided inside the housing 601 of the vehicle 60, or outside the housing 601, for example, inside or outside the housing 11 of the control center 10. In this embodiment, the control unit 31 is provided inside the housing 601 of the vehicle 60.

[0046] One or more first imaging units 321 and one or more second imaging units 322 are arranged inside or on the housing 601 of the traveling body 60. Each imaging unit 321, 322 has, for example, an imaging element or a lens, and can capture an image of the surroundings of the housing 601. The first imaging unit 321 is, for example, a visible light camera. The monitoring system 100 can use the image captured by the first imaging unit 321 to, for example, grasp the monitoring target, that is, the imaging position, determine whether the control unit is inserted incorrectly, and determine whether a fastening member such as a screw or a bolt is not properly fastened. The second imaging unit 322 is, for example, an infrared camera. In addition, the monitoring system 100 can use the image captured by the second imaging unit 322 to detect abnormal heat generation in the vertical busbar 41, the power supply disconnection unit connected to the control unit 40, the terminals, etc., which occurs due to, for example, a failure of an electrical appliance, a loose terminal, or a faulty fastening.

[0047] For example, in this embodiment, the first imaging unit 321 is provided on the left side 62, the right side 63, the upper part 65, and the bottom part 66. This allows the monitoring mechanism 30 to capture images of the left, right, upper, and lower sides of the running body 60 using a visible light camera. Also, in this embodiment, the second imaging unit 322 is provided on the left side 62, the right side 63, and the upper part 65. This allows the monitoring mechanism 30 to capture images of the left, right, and upper sides of the running body 60 using an infrared camera. Note that each of the imaging units 321 and 322 may be configured so that the optical axis can be adjusted to any angle by a driving mechanism such as a motor.

[0048] The travel processing unit 33 instructs the running body 60 to start and stop running and the running direction. Specifically, the travel processing unit 33 controls the driving of a motor (not shown) provided in the running body 60. The running body 60 can stop at a starting point, for example, a charging station 70, without a command from the travel processing unit 33. The memory area 312 stores a running route, and the travel processing unit 33 moves the running body 60 according to the running route stored in the memory area 312. For example, when the running body 60 reaches a branch point of the running path 50, that is, each of the connection points 514, 515, and 516, the travel processing unit 33 specifies which route to run along. The travel processing unit 33 runs the running body 60 along the running path 50, and when the running body 60 finishes running the entire running path 50, stops the running body 60 at a starting point, for example, the charging station 70. The travel processing unit 33 may start the travel of the running object 60 at a predetermined time or at predetermined time intervals, for example, or may start the travel of the running object 60 in response to an external command.

[0049] The imaging processing unit 34 executes imaging processing. The imaging processing is processing for making the first imaging unit 321 and / or the second imaging unit 322 capture images at predetermined positions while the running body 60 moves along the running path 50. The imaging processing may be executed when the running body 60 stops moving, i.e., while it is stopped, or may be executed while the running body 60 is moving. The predetermined positions include positions where the first imaging unit 321 and / or the second imaging unit 322 can capture images of the control unit 40, the vertical bus bar 41, and other electrical appliances to be monitored.

[0050] The communication unit 35 has a function of transmitting and receiving data by communicating with the external processing device 300 and / or the external terminal 200 via a wireless communication line.

[0051] The imaging processing unit 34 may detect a predetermined position for performing imaging processing from, for example, an image captured by the first imaging unit 321. The imaging processing unit 34 performs a first imaging processing for identifying the position of the running object 60 by capturing an image by the first imaging unit 321 at a predetermined timing while the running object 60 moves along the running path 50. The predetermined timing can be set within a range of, for example, once per 0.1 seconds to once per 1.5 seconds. Then, when the imaging processing unit 34 determines that the running object 60 has reached a predetermined position as a result of the first imaging processing, it performs a second imaging processing for capturing an image of the monitoring target by the first imaging unit 321 and / or the second imaging unit 322.

[0052] The monitoring mechanism 30 includes a plurality of first identification markers L1 and a plurality of second identification markers L2. The plurality of first identification markers L1 and the plurality of second identification markers L2 include a unique first identifier I1 and a second identifier I2, respectively. The first identifier I1 and the second identifier I2 are, for example, two-dimensional barcodes, and can be read by the first imaging unit 321. The first identifier I1 is linked to unit identification information that identifies each control unit 40. The second identifier I2 is linked to the corresponding first identifier I1. The first identification marker L1 or the second identification marker L2 including the corresponding first identifier I1 or the second identifier I2 are referred to as the corresponding first identification marker L1 and the second identification marker L2.

[0053] 10 shows an example of corresponding first identification markers L1 and second identification markers L2 and their identifiers I1, I2, and a control unit 40 identified by each first identifier I1. In this case, the first identification markers L1a, L1b, L1c, ..., L1n are configured to include first identifiers I1a, I1b, I1c, ..., I1n, respectively. The first identifiers I1a, I1b, I1c, ..., I1n are linked to second identifiers I2a, I2b, I2c, ..., I2n included in the second identification markers L2a, L2b, L2c, ..., L2n. In addition, the first identifiers I1a, I1b, I1c, ..., I1n are linked to unit identification information that identifies each control unit 40a, 40b, 40c, ..., 40n.

[0054] The first identification marker L1 is attached to each individual control unit 40 identified by each first identifier I1. In this case, the first identification marker L1 is attached to a position on the outer surface of the control unit 40 where the first imaging unit 321 can capture an image. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the first identification marker L1 is attached to a portion of the control unit 40 that is exposed to the wiring room 19, in this case the right side surface.

[0055] The second identification marker L2 is attached along the running path 50 inside the housing 11. In this embodiment, the second identification marker L2 is attached to each rail member 80. For example, the second identification marker L2 can be attached to the surface portion 81 of the rail member 80. In this case, when the running body 60 moves along the horizontal running path 51, the second identification marker L2 can be imaged by the first imaging unit 321 provided on the bottom portion 66. When the running body 60 moves along the vertical running path 52, the second identification marker L2 can be imaged by the first imaging unit 321 provided on the right side portion 63.

[0056] The second identification mark L2 is attached at a position where the control unit 40 to which the first identification mark L1 corresponding to the second identification mark L2 is attached is included in the imaging area when the traveling object 60 stops at that position and is imaged by the first imaging unit 321. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, each second identification mark L2 is attached at a position facing each first identification mark L1 in the first vertical portion 521. For example, the corresponding first identification mark L1 and second identification mark L2 are set so that their height positions from the floor surface are the same. In addition, the length dimension in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 80 can be set to be substantially the same as the length dimension in the height direction of the unit room 18.

[0057] The second identification mark L2 may be attached to a position where an image of an electrical appliance to be monitored, such as a vertical busbar, can be captured, in addition to the above-mentioned position on the travel path 50. In this case, for example, the second identification mark L2 may be attached to the third horizontal portion 513.

[0058] When the first imaging unit 321 detects the second identification sign L2 as a result of the first imaging process while the running object 60 is moving along the running path 50, the traveling processing unit 33 stops the running object 60. When the running object 60 stops, the imaging processing unit 34 executes the second imaging process and captures images of the surroundings of the running object 60 by the first imaging unit 321 and the second imaging unit 322. The control unit 31 transmits the images captured by the first imaging unit 321 and the second imaging unit 322 to the external terminal 200 or the external processing device 300 via the communication unit 35.

[0059] 11, the monitoring system 100 includes a control unit 21, a determination processing unit 22, a communication unit 23, a display unit 241, and a speaker 242. The control unit 21 is mainly configured with a microcomputer having a CPU 211 and a storage area 212 such as a non-volatile memory such as a ROM or a RAM. Note that the control unit 21 does not need to be configured as one physical device, and can be configured by combining multiple devices or by multiple independent devices.

[0060] The memory area 212 stores, for example, a computer program for implementing the monitoring system 100. The monitoring system 100 virtually implements the determination processing unit 22 by software by executing the program stored in the memory area 212 in the CPU 211. The determination processing unit 22 may be implemented in hardware as an integrated circuit integrated with the control unit 21, or may be configured as an individual separate from the control unit 21. The control unit 31 and the control unit 21 may be configured separately, or may be configured partly or entirely as an integrated unit.

[0061] The control unit 21 may be provided inside the control center 10 and / or the complex 20, or may be provided outside the control center 10 and / or the complex 20. In this embodiment, the control unit 21 is provided outside the control center 10 and / or the complex 20. The control unit 21 may be configured as an external terminal 200, such as a personal computer, provided outside the control center 10.

[0062] The judgment processing unit 22 executes anomaly judgment processing and erroneous insertion judgment processing based on information acquired directly from the monitoring mechanism 30 or via the external processing device 300. The abnormality judgment processing is processing for judging whether or not an abnormality has occurred inside the control center 10 and / or complex 20 that is the object of monitoring. The erroneous insertion judgment processing is processing for judging whether or not the control unit 40 housed inside the control center 10 and / or complex 20 that is the object of monitoring has been erroneously inserted. The erroneous insertion means that the control unit 40 is housed in a room other than the predetermined unit room 18.

[0063] The communication unit 23 has a function of transmitting and receiving data by communicating with an external processing device 300 and / or a control unit 31 via a wireless communication line.

[0064] The display unit 241 such as a screen and the speaker 242 of the external terminal 200 can constitute a notification unit. When the determination processing unit 22 determines that an abnormality or erroneous insertion has occurred, an image or text is displayed on the display unit 241, or a warning sound or warning voice is output from the speaker 242 to notify the user of the abnormality.

[0065] For example, the memory area 212 stores images captured by the first imaging unit 321 and / or the second imaging unit 322 from a predetermined position of the monitored object under normal conditions. The monitored object is, for example, each control unit 40 or the vertical bus bar 41. The predetermined position is a position determined for each monitored object, and in this case, is a position on the travel path 50 where the second identification sign L2 is affixed. Furthermore, the memory area 212 stores the correspondence between the first identifier I1 and the second identifier I2 as a chart.

[0066] The determination processing unit 22 can compare the images at each imaging position stored in the storage area 212 under normal conditions with the images at each imaging position at any time uploaded to the external processing device 300, and execute the abnormality determination process. For example, the determination processing unit 22 can compare the images at normal conditions with the images at any time, and determine that an abnormality has occurred if there is a difference of a predetermined value or more, as the abnormality determination process. Furthermore, the determination processing unit 22 can compare the images at normal conditions with the images at any time, and determine that an abnormality has occurred if, for example, loosening of a fastening member such as a screw or a fastening failure is detected. Furthermore, the determination processing unit 22 may determine that an abnormality has occurred if heat of a predetermined temperature or more is detected from the image captured by the second imaging unit 322, without comparing with the images at normal conditions.

[0067] The determination processing unit 22 can execute the erroneous insertion determination process by comparing the first identification mark L1 attached to the control unit 40 captured at each imaging position stored in the storage area 212 with the first identification mark L1 reflected in the image at each imaging position at any time uploaded to the external processing device 300. That is, the determination processing unit 22 compares the first identifier I1n linked to the control unit 40 that is captured at a predetermined position under normal circumstances, i.e., that should be captured, with the first identifier I1x included in the first identification mark L1 captured at any time, and determines that there is no erroneous insertion if the first identifier I1x matches the first identifier I1n, and determines that there is erroneous insertion if the first identifier I1x does not match the first identifier I1n.

[0068] With reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 12, the processing of the control unit 21 and the control unit 31 that control the operation of the monitoring system 100 will be described. At the start of FIG. 12, the running object 60 is stopped at the starting point, that is, the charging station 70. When the monitoring operation of the monitoring system 100 is started at a predetermined timing (start), in step S11, the running processing unit 33 drives a motor (not shown) and the like to run the running object 60 along a predetermined route. In step S12, the image capturing processing unit 34 executes a first image capturing process. As a result, while the running object 60 moves along the running path 50, the first image capturing unit 321 captures an image at a predetermined timing. If the first image capturing unit 321 does not detect the second identification marker L2 on the running path 50 (No in step S13), the control unit 31 returns the process to step S12. If the first image capturing unit 321 detects the second identification marker L2 on the running path 50 (Yes in step S13), the control unit 31 advances the process to step S14.

[0069] In step S14, the travel processing unit 33 stops the running object 60. In step S15, the imaging processing unit 34 captures an image of the space around the running object 60 including the monitoring target by the first imaging unit 321 and the second imaging unit 322. The created image data is transmitted to the external processing device 300 by the communication unit 35.

[0070] In step S16, the determination processing unit 22 executes an abnormality determination processing based on the image data received and stored by the external processing device 300. If it is determined that there is an abnormality (Yes in step S17), the control unit 21 advances the processing to step S18. In step S18, the control unit 21 notifies the user of the occurrence of the abnormality via the display unit 241 and / or the speaker 242, etc. If it is determined that there is no abnormality (No in step S17), the control unit 21 advances the processing to step S19.

[0071] In step S19, the determination processing unit 22 executes an erroneous insertion determination process based on the image data received and stored by the external processing device 300. If it is determined that there is an erroneous insertion (Yes in step S20), the control unit 21 advances the process to step S21. In step S21, the control unit 21 notifies the user of the erroneous insertion via the display unit 241 and / or the speaker 242, etc. If it is determined that there is no erroneous insertion (No in step S20), the control unit 21 advances the process to step S22.

[0072] In step S22, the driving processing unit 33 causes the moving object 60 to move again. In step S23, if the abnormality determination process has not been completed for all of the predetermined monitoring targets (No in step S23), the control unit 31 returns the process to step S12. If the abnormality determination process has been completed for all of the predetermined monitoring targets (Yes in step S23), the control unit 31 advances the process to step S24. In step S24, the driving processing unit 33 causes the moving object 60 to move to the starting point, that is, the charging station 70 in this case, and then stops the moving object 60. This ends the monitoring operation of the monitoring system (END).

[0073] According to the present embodiment described above, the monitoring system 100 for the motor control center is a monitoring system for the motor control center 10, which has a housing having a plurality of unit rooms 18 therein, and one or a plurality of motor control units 40 housed in some or all of the plurality of unit rooms 18, and in which a plurality of housings 11 can be arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction. The internal spaces of the plurality of housings 11 installed adjacent to each other are in communication with each other. The monitoring system 100 includes a running path 50 including a horizontal running path 51 extending parallel to the adjacent arrangement direction of the plurality of housings 11 across the interiors of the plurality of housings 11, a running body 60 capable of running on the horizontal running path 51, and a control unit 21 that determines an abnormality in the control center 10. The running body 60 includes imaging units 321 and 322. The control unit 21 executes an abnormality determination process that determines the presence or absence of an abnormality in the motor control center 10 based on image information captured by the imaging units 321 and 322.

[0074] According to this, it is possible to image the control units 40 housed in each unit room 18 from inside the housing 11 and determine whether there is an abnormality, without opening the unit room door 181. Furthermore, when a plurality of control centers 10 are arranged side by side to form a complex 20, by running one traveling body 60 commonly inside the plurality of housings 11, it is not necessary to provide a separate monitoring mechanism 30 for each control center 10, and therefore it is possible to reduce the cost and effort required for monitoring and inspection.

[0075] The multiple unit chambers 18 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. The running path 50 includes a vertical running path 52 extending in the vertical direction inside the housing 11. The running body 60 runs on the vertical running path. The control unit 21 executes an erroneous insertion determination process for determining whether or not one or more control units 40 have been erroneously inserted, based on image information captured by the imaging units 321 and 322.

[0076] According to this, the monitoring mechanism 30 can detect not only abnormalities in electrical appliances such as control units but also incorrect insertion of the control units, thereby improving convenience for users.

[0077] The running path 50 is formed by combining a plurality of rail members 80 which are detachable from one another.

[0078] According to this, for example, with respect to the horizontal running path 51, when a new control center 10 is installed in a row, a rail member 80 is arranged in the new housing 11 and connected to the rail member 80 in the housing 1 of the originally installed control center 10, so that the running body 60 can run inside both of them in common. Also, when removing a part of the control centers 10 installed in a row, the running body 60 can continue to run without problems inside the housing 11 of the remaining control center 10 by releasing the connection of the rail member 80 between the housings 11. Also, with respect to the vertical running path 52, when a new control unit 40 is stored, the rail member 80 can be connected and connected to correspond to the added control unit 40, so that the vertical running path 52 can be extended. On the other hand, when a control unit 40 is removed, the rail member 80 can be removed to correspond to the removed control unit 40, so that the vertical running path 52 can be shortened. Therefore, when the control center 10 or the control unit 40 is added or removed, there is no need to replace the entire track 50, and a versatile and cost-effective monitoring system 100 is provided.

[0079] The monitoring system 100 includes a first identification mark L1 that is attached to each of one or more control units 40 and includes information for identifying each of the one or more control units 40, and a second identification mark L2 that is arranged on the travel path 50 and includes information set in correspondence with the first identification mark L1. When the imaging unit 321 reads the second identification mark L2, the control unit 31 causes the imaging units 321 and 322 to capture an image of a predetermined imaging range, and the control unit 21 compares the second identification mark L2 read by the imaging unit 321 with the first identification mark L1 attached to the control unit 40 in the captured image, and executes an erroneous insertion determination process.

[0080] According to this, reading the second identification sign L2 on the travel path 50 triggers the imaging of the control unit 40, which is the object of monitoring, so that it is possible to reliably capture an image of the control unit 40 at the position required for monitoring, thereby improving the accuracy of monitoring and inspection.

[0081] The monitoring system 100 is disposed within a housing 11 and includes a charging station 70 for the vehicle 60 at a position accessible from the running path 50 .

[0082] According to this, power supply to the traveling object 60 constituting a part of the monitoring system 100 is performed automatically, so that the labor required for monitoring and inspection is further reduced.

[0083] The monitoring mechanism 30 according to the present embodiment is a monitoring mechanism for a motor control center 10 having a housing 11 with a plurality of unit chambers 18 therein and one or a plurality of control units 40 housed in some or all of the plurality of unit chambers 18, and capable of arranging a plurality of housings 11 adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction. The internal spaces of the plurality of housings 11 installed adjacent to each other communicate with each other. The monitoring mechanism 30 includes a running path 50 including a horizontal running path 51 extending parallel to the adjacent arrangement direction of the plurality of housings 11 throughout the interiors of the plurality of housings 11, and a running body 60 capable of running on the horizontal running path 51. The running body 60 includes imaging units 321, 322 and a communication unit 35. The communication unit 35 transmits image information captured by the imaging units 321, 322 to an external terminal 200 and / or an external processing device 300 as external devices.

[0084] According to this, the control units 40 housed in each unit room 18 can be imaged from inside the housing 11 without opening the unit room door 181. Furthermore, when a plurality of control centers 10 are arranged side by side to form a complex 20, by running one traveling body 60 commonly inside the plurality of housings 11, it is not necessary to provide a separate monitoring mechanism 30 for each control center 10, and therefore the cost and effort required for monitoring and inspection can be reduced.

[0085] The above-described embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10...control center, 11...housing, 18...unit room, 181...unit room door, 20...complex, 30...monitoring mechanism, 31...control section, 321...first imaging section (imaging section), 322...second imaging section (imaging section), 35...communication section, 40...control unit, 41...vertical busbar (electrical equipment), 50...running path, 51...horizontal running path, 52...vertical running path, 60...running body, 70...charging station, 80...rail member, 100...monitoring system, 200...external terminal (external device), 300...external processing device (external device), L1...first identification sign, L2...second identification sign

Claims

1. A monitoring system for a control center, comprising: a housing having a plurality of unit rooms therein; and one or a plurality of control units housed in some or all of the plurality of unit rooms, the housings being capable of being arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction, The internal spaces of the adjacent housings are in communication with each other, A running path including a horizontal running path extending through the interiors of the plurality of housings in parallel with a direction in which the plurality of housings are adjacently arranged; A running body capable of running on the horizontal running path; A control unit that determines an abnormality in the control center, The moving object has an imaging unit, The control unit executes an abnormality determination process to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the control center based on image information captured by the imaging unit. Surveillance system.

2. The plurality of unit chambers are arranged in a vertical direction, The travel path includes a vertical travel path extending vertically inside the housing, The traveling body travels on the vertical traveling path, The control unit executes an erroneous insertion determination process for determining whether or not the one or more control units are erroneously inserted based on image information captured by the imaging unit. The monitoring system of claim 1 .

3. The travel path is formed by combining a plurality of detachable rail members.

3. A monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A first identification mark attached to each of the one or more control units and including information for identifying each of the one or more control units; a second identification sign arranged on the roadway and including information set in correspondence with the first identification sign; When the imaging unit reads the second identification mark, the control unit causes the imaging unit to capture an image of a predetermined imaging range, the control unit executes the erroneous insertion determination process by comparing the second identification mark read by the imaging unit with the first identification mark attached to the control unit in the captured image. The monitoring system of claim 2.

5. A charging station for the traveling body is provided in the housing and at a position accessible from the traveling path. The monitoring system of claim 1 .

6. A monitoring mechanism for a motor control center, comprising: a housing having a plurality of unit chambers therein; and one or a plurality of control units housed in some or all of the plurality of unit chambers, the housings being capable of being arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction, The internal spaces of the adjacent housings are in communication with each other, A running path including a horizontal running path extending through the interiors of the plurality of housings in parallel with a direction in which the plurality of housings are adjacently arranged; a running body capable of running on the horizontal running path, The traveling object has an imaging unit and a communication unit, The communication unit transmits image information captured by the imaging unit to an external device. Surveillance mechanism.

Images