Control device

Abstract

To provide a control device capable of enhancing cooling efficiency by air by absorbing heat generated by a control board inside a housing of the control device and suppressing the air exhausted to the outside from being sucked into the housing again.SOLUTION: The control device 1 includes the control board side wall-side 11a, the casing 12, and the fan 13, the fan 13 is attached to the ventilation side 11c 123 through which air is ventilated among the plurality of side walls of the casing 12, and the first vent hole 121 through which air is ventilated is formed at a position adjacent to the fan 13. A first inclined portion 141 inclined with respect to the air-permeable sidewall 123 is formed at the peripheral edge of the first vent hole 121 so that a first virtual line L1 along the air-permeable direction of the air flowing through the first vent hole 121 is separated from a second virtual line L2 along the air-feeding direction of the air flowing by the fan 13 as advancing from the air-permeable sidewall 123 in the normal direction of the air-permeable sidewall 123.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device. [Background technology]

[0002] One example of this type of technology is described in Patent Document 1, which aims to miniaturize a control device (controller) that controls a robot and employs an arrangement that includes both an intake port and an exhaust port for the fan. The control device is used, for example, to control an industrial welding robot. The intake port and exhaust port are formed on the back surface of the housing (specifically, on the side that does not face the industrial robot when the control device is in use). This is to prevent fumes and the like generated when the industrial robot performs welding work from entering the inside of the control device's housing and causing a short circuit in the circuit board or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-140453 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, due to the miniaturization of control devices, the distance between the air intake and exhaust ports has become shorter, which means that the heat generated by the control board inside the control device's housing is absorbed and the air exhausted to the outside is then sucked in again through the air intake, and it is expected that the inside of the housing will not be sufficiently cooled by the sucked in air.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to provide a control device that can absorb heat generated by a control board inside the control device's housing and prevent air that has been exhausted to the outside from being drawn back into the housing, thereby increasing the efficiency of air cooling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In view of the above problems, the control device of the present invention is a control device for controlling an industrial robot, and comprises a plurality of control boards for controlling the industrial robot, a housing for accommodating the control boards, and a fan for generating a flow of air inside the housing, wherein the fan is attached to a flat ventilation side wall among the plurality of side walls of the housing through which the air is ventilated, and a first ventilation port for venting the air is formed in a position adjacent to the fan, and a first inclined portion is formed on the periphery of the first ventilation port, inclined relative to the ventilation side wall, so that a first imaginary line along the ventilation direction of the air flowing into the first ventilation port moves away from a second imaginary line along the air supply direction of the air flowing by the fan as it progresses from the ventilation side wall in the direction normal to the ventilation side wall.

[0007] In the present invention, rotation of the fan (or its blades) generates a flow of air inside the housing. Specifically, in a first usage mode of the fan, when the fan rotates in a predetermined direction, air near the ventilation sidewall is drawn in through the first vent, flows inside the housing, and is exhausted from the fan. On the other hand, in a second usage mode of the fan, when the fan rotates in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction, air near the ventilation sidewall is drawn in by the fan, flows inside the housing, and is exhausted from the first vent. In either case, the air inside the housing absorbs heat generated by the multiple control boards and is heated.

[0008] According to the present invention, a first inclined portion is formed on the periphery of the first vent, inclined relative to the ventilation sidewall, so that a first imaginary line along the ventilation direction of air flowing through the first vent moves away from a second imaginary line along the blowing direction of air flowing by the fan as it moves from the ventilation sidewall in the direction normal to the ventilation sidewall. Therefore, in the first usage mode of the fan, heat generated by the control board inside the housing can be absorbed, and air exhausted from the fan can be prevented from being re-inhaled through the first vent. Meanwhile, in the second usage mode of the fan, heat generated by the control board inside the housing can be absorbed, and air exhausted from the first vent can be prevented from being re-inhaled by the fan. In other words, in either usage mode, air exhausted to the outside can be prevented from being re-inhaled into the housing.

[0009] In a more preferred embodiment, the first inclined portion protrudes toward the inside of the housing.

[0010] According to this aspect, the first inclined portion protrudes toward the inside of the housing, so that when an operator carries the control device, the operator can easily grip the ventilation side wall including the first ventilation port without paying attention to the first inclined portion.

[0011] In a further preferred embodiment, the surface of the fan facing the outside of the housing is covered with a second ventilation section in which a second ventilation port is formed through which the air generated by the fan is ventilated, and a second inclined portion is formed around the periphery of the second ventilation port, which is inclined relative to the ventilation side wall so that a third imaginary line along the ventilation direction of the air flowing into the second ventilation port moves away from the ventilation side wall in the normal direction of the ventilation side wall and away from the first and second imaginary lines.

[0012] The air generated by the fan travels straight in the normal direction of the ventilation side wall, but according to this embodiment, the air flows into the second ventilation port, changing the direction of the air flow away from the first ventilation port, making it difficult for the air exhausted from the housing to be drawn back into the housing.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment, the plurality of control boards include a partition control board that extends inward from the boundary between the first ventilation port and the fan mounting position and forms a gap with the opposing side wall that faces the ventilation side wall.

[0014] According to this aspect, the air drawn into the housing flows inside the housing along the control board for partitioning, so that a stable air flow can be formed inside the housing.

[0015] In a further preferred embodiment, one of the fan and the first air vent is an intake section that draws air into the inside of the housing, and the other is an exhaust section that exhausts air to the outside of the housing, the control board has a first control board arranged in a position opposite the exhaust section and a second control board arranged in a position opposite the intake section, and the heat generation amount of the first control board is greater than the heat generation amount of the second control board.

[0016] According to this aspect, the heat generated by the first control board positioned opposite the exhaust section is greater than the heat generated by the second control board, and therefore the air that has absorbed the heat from the first control board can be discharged from the exhaust section without heating the second control board. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, heat generated by the control board inside the housing of the control device is absorbed, and air exhausted to the outside is prevented from being drawn back into the housing, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the air. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an industrial robot that is the object of control thereof; [Figure 2]1A is a top view of the control device according to the present embodiment with the top surface of the housing removed, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. [Figure 3] 10(a) is a top view of a control device according to another embodiment with the top surface of the housing removed, and FIG. 10(b) is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a top view of a control device according to another embodiment with the top surface of the housing removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Note that the embodiment described below is one aspect of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0020] <Device configuration> FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a control device 1 according to this embodiment and an industrial robot 2 that is the object of its control. The control device 1 includes multiple control boards 11a-11c (shown in FIG. 2(a) described below) that control the industrial robot 2, a housing 12 that houses these control boards 11a-11c, and two fans 13 that generate a current of air inside the housing 12. Of the multiple side walls of the housing 12, a flat ventilation side wall 123 through which air is ventilated has two fans 13 attached to it, and a first ventilation port 121 for ventilating air is formed adjacent to one of the two fans 13. The two fans 13 are fixed at their four corners to the ventilation side wall 123 with screws or the like, and are attached so as to cover holes formed in the ventilation side wall 123.

[0021] Although there are many different types of industrial robots 2, in this embodiment, a welding robot is used as an example of the industrial robot 2. The industrial robot 2 includes a robot body 21, a torch 22 that holds a welding wire so that the tip of the wire protrudes, and an L-shaped bracket 23 that connects the robot body 21 and the torch 22. In manufacturing sites where the industrial robot 2, which is a welding robot, operates, fumes and metal powder are often generated during metal welding operations. The control device 1 has a first vent 121 for venting air formed in a ventilation sidewall 123 of the housing 12 opposite the sidewall facing the industrial robot 2 in FIG. 1 . The presence of the first vent 121 in this position prevents fumes and metal powder from being sucked into the housing 12.

[0022] The internal configuration of the housing 12 of the control device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2(a). FIG. 2(a) is a top view of the housing 12 of the control device 1 according to this embodiment with the top surface removed. The arrows in FIGS. 2(a) to 4 indicate the direction of air flow. As shown in FIG. 2(a), air near the ventilation sidewall 123 is first drawn in through the first ventilation port 121. FIG. 2(b) is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 2(a), i.e., a portion of the first ventilation port 121. As shown in FIG. 2(b), a first inclined portion 141 inclined relative to the ventilation sidewall 123 is formed on the periphery of the first ventilation port 121 so as to protrude from the periphery of the first ventilation port 121 toward the interior of the housing 12. Therefore, because first inclined portion 141 protrudes inward, when an operator carries control device 1, he or she can easily grip ventilation side wall 123 including first ventilation port 121 without paying attention to first inclined portion 141. The shape of first inclined portion 141 of first ventilation port 121 is formed by press molding.

[0023] 2(a), a partition control board 11a is installed inside the housing 12 as part of the plurality of control boards. The partition control board 11a extends inward from the boundary between the first ventilation opening 121 and the mounting position of the fan 13 and forms a gap with an opposing side wall 124 that faces the ventilation side wall 123. After being drawn in through the first ventilation opening 121, the air travels along the control board 11a, passing between the plurality of second control boards 11c installed near the first ventilation opening 121, the gap between the control board 11a and the opposing side wall 124, and between the plurality of first control boards 11b installed near the fan 13, in that order, and is finally exhausted in a straight line from the fan 13. That is, in this embodiment, the first ventilation opening 121 corresponds to an intake section that draws air into the housing 12, and the fan 13 corresponds to an exhaust section that exhausts air to the outside of the housing 12. Furthermore, the air drawn into the housing 12 flows along the control board 11a inside the housing 12, ensuring a flow path for the air. Although not shown, connectors, switches, etc. are formed on the outer wall of the opposing side wall 124.

[0024] Here, a virtual line along the ventilation direction of air flowing through the first ventilation port 121 is defined as a first virtual line L1, and a virtual line along the blowing direction of air flowing by the fan 13 is defined as a second virtual line L2. The first inclined portion 141 is formed on the periphery of the first ventilation port 121 so that the first virtual line L1 moves away from the second virtual line L2 as it moves from the ventilation side wall 123 in the normal direction of the ventilation side wall 123. This allows the air exhausted from the fan 13 to be absorbed by the control boards 11a-11c and then drawn in again through the first ventilation port 121, preventing the inside of the housing 12 from excessively increasing in temperature. Here, the "normal direction of the ventilation side wall 123" specifically refers to a direction perpendicular to the ventilation side wall 123 and extending from the inside to the outside of the housing 12.

[0025] Furthermore, the plurality of first control boards 11b generate a larger amount of heat per unit time than the plurality of second control boards 11c. In this embodiment, first control board 11b is disposed opposite fan 13 as an exhaust section, compared to second control board 11c which is disposed opposite first air vent 121 as an intake section. Therefore, heat generated by first control board 11b can be prevented from diffusing into housing 12, and heat generated by first control board 11b and second control board 11c can be absorbed inside housing 12, making it easier to exhaust heated air from fan 13 to the outside.

[0026] 2(a), the configuration of the fan 13 and its surroundings is not limited to that shown in FIG. 3(a), and as shown in FIG. 3(a), a second ventilation port 122 may be formed in the ventilation side wall 123, similar to the first ventilation port 121, and the fan 13 may be installed so as to face the second ventilation port 122. FIG. 3(b) is an enlarged view of part B, which is a part of FIG. 3(a), and the differences in the configuration between the control device 1 shown in FIG. 2(a) and the control device 1 shown in FIG. 3(a) will be specifically described below with reference to FIG. 3(b).

[0027] A second inclined portion 142 inclined relative to the ventilation side wall 123 is formed on the periphery of the second ventilation port 122 so as to protrude from the periphery of the second ventilation port 122 toward the interior of the housing 12. An end portion 131 of the fan 13 is fixed to the ventilation side wall 123 with a fixing screw 17 via a spacer 16. This forms a second ventilation section 15, which is a predetermined space, between the fan 13 and the second ventilation port 122, and the fan 13 can be installed facing the second ventilation port 122. Air exhausted from the fan 13 travels straight in the direction in which the fan 13 is installed, but with the above configuration, the straight-moving air flows into the second ventilation port 122, thereby changing the direction of the air flow away from the normal direction.

[0028] Here, a virtual line along the ventilation direction of the air flowing through the second ventilation port 122 is defined as a third virtual line L3. The second inclined portion 142 is formed on the periphery of the second ventilation port 122 so that the third virtual line L3 moves away from the first and second virtual lines L1, L2 as it moves from the ventilation side wall 123 in the normal direction of the ventilation side wall 123. This allows the air that has absorbed the heat generated by the control boards 11a-11c and been exhausted from the fan 13 to be taken in again through the first ventilation port 121, thereby more reliably preventing the inside of the housing 12 from becoming excessively hot.

[0029] 2(a) , as shown in FIG. 4, the partition control board 11a may be installed so as to extend inward from the boundary between the mounting positions of the two fans 13 and form a gap with the opposing side wall 124 that faces the ventilation side wall 123. In this case, the air is not only exhausted from the fan 13 along the flow path described above, but also passes between the plurality of second control boards 11c installed near the first ventilation opening 121 and is exhausted from the fan 13 without flowing near the first control board 11b. This allows heated air in places inside the housing 12 other than the places where the plurality of first control boards 11b are densely arranged to be efficiently exhausted from the fan 13, and makes it possible to more reliably prevent the inside of the housing 12 from becoming excessively hot.

[0030] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims.

[0031] 2(a) to 4, the direction of air flow may be reversed by attaching fan 13 upside down to ventilation side wall 123 or by reversing the direction of rotation of fan 13. That is, air may be drawn in by fan 13, flow along control board 11a inside housing 12, and finally be exhausted from first ventilation port 121. In this case, fan 13 corresponds to the intake section that draws air into housing 12, and first ventilation port 121 corresponds to the exhaust section that exhausts air to the outside of housing 12. In this case, as described above, first control board 11b, which generates a relatively large amount of heat, is arranged near the exhaust section to improve the efficiency of heat exhaust from inside housing 12. Therefore, first control board 11b is arranged near first ventilation port 121, and second control board 11c is arranged near fan 13. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1: control device, 11a-11c: control board, 12: housing, 121: first ventilation port, 122: second ventilation port, 123: ventilation side wall, 124: opposite side wall, 13: fan, 141: first inclined portion, 142: second inclined portion, 15: second ventilation section, 2: industrial robot, L1: first virtual line, L2: second virtual line, L3: third virtual line

Claims

1. A control device for controlling an industrial robot, The control device a plurality of control boards for controlling the industrial robot; a housing that houses the control board; a fan that generates a flow of air inside the housing, the fan is attached to a flat ventilation side wall among the plurality of side walls of the housing through which the air is ventilated, and a first ventilation port through which the air is ventilated is formed at a position adjacent to the fan; a first inclined portion inclined relative to the ventilation side wall is formed on the periphery of the first ventilation opening so that a first imaginary line along the ventilation direction of the air flowing into the first ventilation opening moves away from a second imaginary line along the blowing direction of the air flowed by the fan as it moves from the ventilation side wall in a direction normal to the ventilation side wall.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the first inclined portion protrudes toward an inner side of the housing.

3. a surface of the fan facing the outside of the housing is covered with a second ventilation portion having a second ventilation port formed therein through which the air generated by the fan vents; 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein a second inclined portion is formed on the periphery of the second ventilation opening such that a third imaginary line along the ventilation direction of the air flowing into the second ventilation opening moves away from the ventilation side wall in the normal direction of the ventilation side wall and away from the first and second imaginary lines.

4. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of control boards include a partition control board that extends inward from the boundary between the first ventilation opening and the mounting position of the fan and forms a gap with an opposing side wall that faces the ventilation side wall.

5. one of the fan and the first vent is an intake part that draws air into the housing, and the other is an exhaust part that exhausts air to the outside of the housing, the control board includes a first control board arranged at a position facing the exhaust section and a second control board arranged at a position facing the intake section, 5. The control device according to claim 4, wherein the amount of heat generated by the first control board is greater than the amount of heat generated by the second control board.

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