Power supply unit, and method for manufacturing a power supply unit

Abstract

The present invention provides a power supply device that simplifies the assembly process, and a method for manufacturing the power supply device. [Solution] The welding power supply device A1 comprises a power conversion unit that converts and outputs the input power, a housing 1 that houses the power conversion unit, and a partition plate 7 that partitions the inside of the housing 1. The housing 1 is arranged on both sides in a first direction (front-to-back direction) perpendicular to the vertical direction, and is provided with a pair of rail grooves that hold and fix the partition plate 7 from both sides in the first direction, thereby simplifying the assembly process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device and a method for manufacturing the power supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a welding power supply device that generates an arc between the tip of an electrode of a welding torch and a workpiece to weld the workpiece is known. The welding power supply device is composed of various components such as switching elements constituting an inverter circuit, electronic components constituting a rectifier circuit, etc., and electrical components such as transformers and reactors. Depending on the components, some require cooling by blowing outside air, while some may malfunction due to dust contained in the outside air. Patent Document 1 discloses a power supply device in which an air passage and an arrangement space are provided by partitioning the inside of a housing with partition plates. The power supply device arranges heat-generating electrical components such as transformers and reactors and heat sinks in an air passage through which outside air is taken in and passed by a fan, and arranges electronic components that may malfunction due to dust, etc. in an arrangement space completely partitioned from the air passage.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to attach the partition plates to the housing, it is necessary to fix the partition plates to the housing with screws or the like. When attaching a large number of partition plates to the housing, the number and types of screws increase, and the assembly man-hours increase. Therefore, it has been an obstacle to the automation of the assembly process. Also, when an operator manually assembles, it takes a lot of labor and time.

[0005] The present invention was conceived under the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to provide a power supply device that simplifies the assembly process, and a method for manufacturing the power supply device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following technical means.

[0007] A power supply device according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a power conversion unit that converts and outputs input power, a housing that houses the power conversion unit, and a partition plate that partitions the inside of the housing, wherein the housing is arranged on both sides in a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and has a pair of rail grooves that hold and fix the partition plate from both sides in the first direction.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing comprises a base frame and an upper frame positioned above the base frame in the vertical direction, the pair of rail grooves are arranged on the base frame so as to extend in the vertical direction, and the upper frame is fixed to the base frame so as to sandwich and fix the partition plate between itself and the base frame.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing further comprises a second partition plate arranged parallel to the partition plate and partitioning the interior of the housing, the housing comprising a pair of second rail grooves arranged on both sides in the first direction and holding and fixing the second partition plate from both sides in the first direction.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the power conversion unit outputs power to generate an arc between the torch and the workpiece.

[0011] A method for manufacturing a power supply device according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: preparing a base frame, an upper frame, and a partition plate, on both sides of a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, such that a pair of rail grooves are arranged in the vertical direction; guiding the partition plate into the pair of rail grooves and attaching it to the base frame; and mounting the upper frame onto the base frame from above in the vertical direction, and fixing the upper frame and the base frame, thereby sandwiching and fixing the partition plate between the upper frame and the base frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the housing is provided with a pair of rail grooves. The partition plate is held and fixed from both sides by the pair of rail grooves. Therefore, screws are not required to attach the partition plate to the housing. Since it is not necessary to fix the partition plate to the housing with screws, the power supply device according to the present invention allows for a simplification of the assembly process.

[0013] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This diagram illustrates a welding power supply device according to the first embodiment, where (a) is an external perspective view showing the welding power supply device, and (b) is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the welding power supply device. [Figure 2] (a) is a cross-sectional view along the line IIa-IIa in Figure 1(a), and (b) is a cross-sectional view along the line IIb-IIb in Figure 1(a). [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view along the line III-III in Figure 1(a). [Figure 4] (a) is a perspective view showing the lower frame unit, and (b) is a magnified view of a portion of (a). [Figure 5] (a) is a perspective view showing the manufacturing process of the welding power supply unit shown in Figure 1, and (b) is a magnified view of a portion of (a). [Figure 6]It is a perspective view showing the manufacturing process of the welding power source device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the manufacturing process of the welding power source device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] It is a diagram for explaining the welding power source device according to the second embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional view seen in the vertical direction and (b) is a cross-sectional view seen in the left-right direction. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the welding power source device according to the third embodiment, which is a cross-sectional view seen in the left-right direction.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings, taking the case where the power source device according to the present invention is a welding power source device as an example.

[0016] 〔First Embodiment〕 FIGS. 1 to 7 are diagrams for explaining the welding power source device A1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1(a) is an external perspective view showing the welding power source device A1. FIG. 1(b) is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the welding power source device. FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIa-IIa of FIG. 1(a). FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIb-IIb of FIG. 1(a). FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1(a). In FIGS. 2 and 3, the description of some internal configurations is omitted. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view showing the lower frame unit 102 described later. FIG. 4(b) is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4(a). In FIG. 4(b), the outer shape is shown by an imaginary line (two-dot chain line) through some members (the rear plate 23 described later). FIGS. 5 to 7 are diagrams showing the manufacturing process of the welding power source device A1. In FIGS. 1 to 7, for convenience of explanation, the vertical direction indicating the vertical direction when the welding power source device A1 is in use, the front-rear direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, and the left-right direction orthogonal to both the vertical direction and the front-rear direction are defined.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1(b), in the welding power supply device A1, one output terminal is conductively connected to the welding torch T, and the other output terminal is conductively connected to the workpiece W. The welding power supply device A1 generates an arc between the electrode protruding from the tip of the welding torch T and the workpiece W, and supplies power to the arc. The welding power supply device A1 welds the workpiece W with the heat of the arc. The welding power supply device A1 supplies DC power for arc welding to the welding torch T. The welding power supply device A1 includes a power conversion unit 9 and a control circuit 99.

[0018] The power conversion unit 9, for example, converts the AC power input from a commercial power supply into DC power suitable for welding and outputs it. For example, the power conversion unit 9 includes a primary-side rectifying and smoothing circuit 91, an inverter circuit 92, a transformer 93, and a secondary-side rectifying and smoothing circuit 94. The rectifying and smoothing circuit 91 includes a rectifying circuit and a smoothing circuit, and converts AC power into DC power and outputs it. The inverter circuit 92 converts the DC power output from the rectifying and smoothing circuit 91 into high-frequency AC power. The inverter circuit 92 includes a plurality of switching elements. The high-frequency AC power is input to the rectifying and smoothing circuit 94 via the transformer 93. The rectifying and smoothing circuit 94 converts the high-frequency AC power into DC power and outputs it. The rectifying and smoothing circuit 94 includes a rectifying circuit and a reactor. Note that the configuration of the power conversion unit 9 is not limited to the above. The control circuit 99 controls the power conversion unit 9. The control circuit 99 controls the inverter circuit 92 by inputting the generated drive signal to each switching element of the inverter circuit 92.

[0019] Also, the welding power supply device A1 includes a housing 1 and partition plates 7, 8. The housing 1 houses each circuit and component constituting the power conversion unit 9, and a control board constituting the control circuit 99, etc. The partition plates 7, 8 are plate members for partitioning the inside of the housing 1. The housing 1 includes a base frame 2, an upper frame 3, a front cover 4, side covers 51, 52, and an upper cover 6.

[0020] The base frame 2 is located at the bottom in the vertical direction of the housing 1 and houses the circuits and components that make up the power conversion unit 9. The base frame 2 is formed by bending a plate, for example, steel. However, the material and method of forming the base frame 2 are not limited. As shown in Figure 2(a), the base frame 2 comprises a bottom plate 21, a front plate 22, and a rear plate 23. The bottom plate 21 is a rectangular plate arranged perpendicular to the vertical direction. The front plate 22 is a rectangular plate arranged perpendicular to the front-rear direction and is connected to one end of the bottom plate 21 in the front-rear direction (the lower end in Figure 2(a)). The front plate 22 has an outer surface 221 and an inner surface 222 that face opposite each other in the front-rear direction, and is provided with multiple through holes that penetrate in the front-rear direction. In addition, both ends of the front plate 22 in the left-right direction are bent toward the rear (inward) side in the front-rear direction to form an L shape. The rear plate 23 is a rectangular plate positioned perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and is connected to the other end of the bottom plate 21 in the front-to-back direction (the upper end in Figure 2(a)). The rear plate 23 has an outer surface 231 and an inner surface 232 that face opposite each other in the front-to-back direction. In addition, both ends of the rear plate 23 in the left-to-right direction are bent towards the front (inward) side in the front-to-back direction, forming an L-shape.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2(a), partition plates 7 and 8 are attached to the base frame 2. Both partition plates 7 and 8 are rectangular plates arranged perpendicular to the left-right direction, dividing the interior of the base frame 2 in the left-right direction. Partition plates 7 and 8 are formed by bending a plate, such as steel. The material and forming method of partition plates 7 and 8 are not limited. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the front-rear ends of partition plates 7 and 8 are hemmed to enhance strength and safety. In addition, both ends of partition plates 7 and 8 in the upper-lower direction are bent in the left-right direction to form an L-shape, which enhances strength. This also increases the contact area between partition plates 7 and 8 and the bottom plate 21 of the base frame 2 and the bottom plate 31 of the upper frame 3. The shape of partition plates 7 and 8 is not limited. Partition plate 7 is positioned near the center in the left-right direction. The partition plate 8 is positioned on one side of the partition plate 7 in the left-right direction (the left side in Figure 2(a)). The positions of the partition plates 7 and 8 are not limited.

[0022] The partition plate 7 is fitted with switching elements of an inverter circuit 92 (not shown) and components that make up each circuit of the power conversion unit 9. These components are located on the side of the partition plate 7 opposite to the side facing the partition plate 8. On the other hand, the heat sinks attached to the switching elements are located on the side of the partition plate 7 that faces the partition plate 8. A cooling fan (not shown) is attached to the partition plate 8. Components such as a reactor and a transformer 93 (not shown) are arranged in the space partitioned by the partition plate 7 and the partition plate 8. The cooling fan attached to the partition plate 8 takes in outside air and blows it over the components arranged in the partitioned space. Note that the arrangement positions of each component on the base frame 2 are not limited to those described above.

[0023] The frame 2 is equipped with rail sections 25a, 25b, 25c, and 25d for holding and fixing the partition plates 7 and 8 from both sides in the front-rear direction. Rail sections 25a and 25c are fixed to the inner surface 222 of the front plate 22. Rail sections 25b and 25d are fixed to the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4(b), the rail section 25b is composed of plate members 251 and 252. Plate members 251 and 252 are members made by bending plates, such as steel. The material of plate members 251 and 252 is not limited. Plate member 251 comprises a main body 2511, a joint 2512, and an upper end 2513. The main body 2511 is a long rectangular plate extending in the vertical direction. The joint 2512 is a long rectangular plate extending in the vertical direction. The main body 2511 and the joint 2512 are connected by their long sides. The angle between the main body 2511 and the joint 2512 is approximately a right angle. The joint 2512 is joined to the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23. As a result, the main body 2511 is erected approximately perpendicular to the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23. The joining method is not limited. The upper end portion 2513 is connected to the upper end of the main body portion 2511 in the vertical direction. The upper end portion 2513 is inclined at approximately 30 degrees relative to the main body portion 2511. The inclination angle is not limited. The upper end portion 2513 has a notch portion 2514 on its upper side in the vertical direction. The notch portion 2514 forms an inclination such that the vertical dimension of the upper end portion 2513 decreases as it moves inward towards the frame 2 in the front-rear direction.

[0025] The plate member 252 comprises a main body portion 2521, a joint portion 2522, and an upper end portion 2523. The main body portion 2521, the joint portion 2522, and the upper end portion 2523 have the same shape as the main body portion 2511, the joint portion 2512, and the upper end portion 2513, respectively. The upper end portion 2523 has a notch portion 2524 similar to the notch portion 2514. The plate members 251 and 252 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The joint portion 2512 of the plate member 251 is located on the opposite side of the plate member 252 from the main body portion 2511 in the left-right direction. On the other hand, the joint portion 2522 of the plate member 252 is located on the opposite side of the plate member 251 from the main body portion 2521 in the left-right direction. The rail groove 255 is formed by the main body portion 2511 and the main body portion 2521. Therefore, the rail groove 255 extends in the vertical direction. The width dimension of the rail groove 255, that is, the distance between the main body section 2511 and the main body section 2521, is approximately the same as the thickness dimension of the front-to-back end of the partition plate 7. Furthermore, the upper end section 2513 and the upper end section 2523 are inclined toward opposite sides, forming a guided structure in which the distance between them in the left-to-right direction increases as you move upward in the vertical direction. The structure of the rail sections 25a, 25c, and 25d is the same as that of the rail section 25b.

[0026] The partition plate 7 is installed between rail section 25a and rail section 25b. As will be explained in the manufacturing method described later, the partition plate 7 is installed on the base frame 2 by having both ends in the front-rear direction guided into the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25a and rail section 25b, respectively. At this time, even if there is a misalignment of the partition plate 7 in the left-right direction, the partition plate 7 is guided into the rail grooves 255 by the guiding structure of the upper end 2513 and upper end 2523. Also, even if there is a misalignment of the partition plate 7 in the front-rear direction, the bent portion on the lower side of the partition plate 7 abuts against the notches 2514 and 2524 and is guided inward in the front-rear direction, thereby guiding the partition plate 7 to the correct position. The partition plate 8 is installed between rail section 25c and rail section 25d. The partition plate 8 is attached to the base frame 2 in the same manner as the partition plate 7, with both ends in the front-rear direction guided by the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25c and rail section 25d, respectively.

[0027] The upper frame 3 is located above the housing 1 in the vertical direction and is positioned above the base frame 2. The upper frame 3 houses control boards and other components that constitute the control circuit 99. The upper frame 3 is formed by bending a plate, such as steel. The material and method of forming the upper frame 3 are not limited. As shown in Figure 2(b), the upper frame 3 comprises a bottom plate 31, a front plate 32, and a rear plate 33. The bottom plate 31 is a rectangular plate arranged perpendicular to the vertical direction. The front plate 32 is a rectangular plate arranged perpendicular to the front-rear direction and is connected to one end of the bottom plate 31 in the front-rear direction (the lower end in Figure 2(b)). The front plate 32 has an outer surface 321 and an inner surface 322 that face opposite each other in the front-rear direction, and is provided with a through hole that penetrates in the front-rear direction. In addition, both ends of the front plate 32 in the left-right direction are bent toward the rear (inward) side in the front-rear direction to form an L-shape. The rear plate 33 is a rectangular plate positioned perpendicular to the front-rear direction and is connected to the other end of the bottom plate 31 in the front-rear direction (the upper end in Figure 2(b)). The rear plate 33 has an outer surface 331 and an inner surface 332 that face opposite each other in the front-rear direction, and is provided with a through hole that penetrates in the front-rear direction. In addition, both ends of the rear plate 33 in the left-right direction are bent towards the front (inward) side in the front-rear direction, forming an L-shape. The upper frame 3 is equipped with a chassis (not shown) on which a control board constituting the control circuit 99 is mounted. Note that the components placed on the upper frame 3 are not limited to those described above.

[0028] The upper frame 3 is fitted and fixed to the base frame 2 from the upper side in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 2(b), the outer surface 321 of the front plate 32 of the upper frame 3 is in contact with the inner surface 222 of the front plate 22 of the base frame 2. Also, the outer surface 331 of the rear plate 33 of the upper frame 3 is in contact with the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23 of the base frame 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the bottom plate 31 of the upper frame 3 is in contact with the upper ends of the partition plates 7 and 8. The partition plates 7 and 8 are fixed by the upper frame 3 so as to be pressed against the bottom plate 21 of the base frame 2.

[0029] The front cover 4, side covers 51, 52, and top cover 6 are made of, for example, resin and cover the base frame 2 and upper frame 3. The material and shape of the front cover 4, side covers 51, 52, and top cover 6 are not limited. As shown in Figures 1(a), 2, and 3, the front cover 4 covers the front of the base frame 2 and upper frame 3 and is fixed to the front plate 22 of the base frame 2, for example, by screws. The fixing method is not limited. An operation panel is attached to the front cover 4. The side covers 51, 52 cover the left or right side of the base frame 2 and upper frame 3 and are fixed to the base frame 2 and upper frame 3, for example, by screws. The fixing method is not limited. The top cover 6 covers the upper side of the upper frame 3 and is fixed to the upper frame 3, for example, by screws. The fixing method is not limited.

[0030] The structure of the enclosure 1 is not limited to those described above. Also, the shapes of the base frame 2, upper frame 3, front cover 4, side covers 51, 52, and top cover 6 are not limited to those described above.

[0031] Next, the manufacturing method of welding power supply unit A1 will be described below with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Figures 5(a), 6, and 7 are perspective views showing the manufacturing process of welding power supply unit A1, and correspond to Figure 1(a). Figure 5(b) is a partially enlarged view of Figure 5(a).

[0032] The welding power supply unit A1 is manufactured by combining an upper frame unit 101, a lower frame unit 102, a fan unit 103, and a semiconductor unit 104. First, the upper frame unit 101, lower frame unit 102, fan unit 103, and semiconductor unit 104 are prepared. The upper frame unit 101 is a unit in which components such as a cooling fan (not shown) are attached to the upper frame 3. Note that the upper frame unit 101 may have a chassis with a control board mounted on it pre-installed. The lower frame unit 102 is a unit in which rail sections 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d and other components are attached to the base frame 2 (see Figure 4(a)). Note that the lower frame unit 102 may have components such as a reactor and a transformer 93 pre-installed. The fan unit 103 is a unit in which a cooling fan and the like are attached to a partition plate 8. The semiconductor unit 104 is a unit in which switching elements of the inverter circuit 92 and components constituting each circuit of the power conversion unit 9 are attached to the partition plate 7. Note that the components attached to each unit 101 to 104 are not limited.

[0033] Next, the semiconductor unit 104 is attached to the lower frame unit 102. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, both ends of the partition plate 7 in the front-rear direction are inserted from above into the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25a and rail section 25b, respectively. At this time, even if there is a misalignment of the partition plate 7 in the left-right direction, the guide structure of rail sections 25a and 25b guides the partition plate 7 into the rail grooves 255. Also, even if there is a misalignment of the partition plate 7 in the front-rear direction, the bent portion on the lower side of the partition plate 7 comes into contact with the notches 2514 and 2524 and is guided inward in the front-rear direction, thereby guiding the partition plate 7 to the correct position. After that, the partition plate 7 is guided into the rail grooves 255 and moves downward due to gravity. With the partition plate 7 attached to the base frame 2, the semiconductor unit 104 is attached to the lower frame unit 102. In attaching the semiconductor unit 104 to the lower frame unit 102, no fastening with screws or the like is performed. This attachment process may be performed by a robot or by a worker manually.

[0034] Next, the fan unit 103 is attached to the lower frame unit 102. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, both ends of the partition plate 8 in the front-rear direction are inserted from above into the rail grooves 255 of the rail section 25c and the rail grooves 255 of the rail section 25d, respectively. At this time, even if the partition plate 8 is misaligned in the left-right direction, the guide structure of the rail sections 25c and 25d will guide the partition plate 8 into the rail grooves 255. Also, even if the partition plate 8 is misaligned in the front-rear direction, the bent portion on the lower side of the partition plate 8 will come into contact with the notches 2514 and 2524 and be guided inward in the front-rear direction, thereby guiding the partition plate 8 to the correct position. After that, the partition plate 8 is guided into the rail grooves 255 and moves downward due to gravity. With the partition plate 8 attached to the base frame 2, the fan unit 103 is attached to the lower frame unit 102. When attaching the fan unit 103 to the lower frame unit 102, no fastening with screws or the like is performed. This attachment process may be performed by a robot or by a worker manually.

[0035] Next, the upper frame unit 101 is attached to the lower frame unit 102. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the upper frame 3 is fitted into the base frame 2 from above, with the outer surface 321 of the front plate 32 of the upper frame 3 in contact with the inner surface 222 of the front plate 22 of the base frame 2, and the outer surface 331 of the rear plate 33 of the upper frame 3 in contact with the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23 of the base frame 2. Then, the bottom plate 31 of the upper frame 3 abuts against the upper ends of the partition plates 7 and 8, and the lower ends of the partition plates 7 and 8 are pressed against the bottom plate 21 of the base frame 2, thereby fixing the upper frame 3 to the base frame 2 with screws or the like. In this way, the partition plates 7 and 8 are sandwiched and fixed from above and below by the bottom plate 31 of the upper frame 3 and the bottom plate 21 of the base frame 2. The upper frame unit 101 is attached to the lower frame unit 102 by fixing the upper frame 3 to the base frame 2.

[0036] Next, the chassis with the control board is mounted on the upper frame 3, and components such as the reactor and transformer 93 are mounted on the base frame 2. Other components are also attached. Then, various wiring is done. Next, the front cover 4, side covers 51 and 52, and top cover 6 are attached. This completes the manufacturing of the welding power supply unit A1.

[0037] Next, we will explain the operation and effects of welding power supply unit A1.

[0038] According to this embodiment, the frame 2 of the housing 1 includes a rail portion 25a fixed to the inner surface 222 of the front plate 22, and a rail portion 25b fixed to the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23. The partition plate 7 is held and fixed from both sides by the rail grooves 255 of the rail portion 25a and the rail grooves 255 of the rail portion 25b. Therefore, screws are not required to attach the partition plate 7 to the frame 2. Since the partition plate 7 does not need to be fixed to the frame 2 with screws, the welding power supply unit A1 can be assembled in a simplified manner.

[0039] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the base frame 2 of the housing 1 includes a rail portion 25c fixed to the inner surface 222 of the front plate 22, and a rail portion 25d fixed to the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23. The partition plate 8 is held and fixed from both sides by the rail grooves 255 of the rail portion 25c and the rail grooves 255 of the rail portion 25d. Therefore, screws are not required to attach the partition plate 8 to the base frame 2. Since it is not necessary to fix the partition plate 8 to the base frame 2 with screws, the welding power supply unit A1 can be assembled in a simplified manner. In addition, the housing 1 can be partitioned into more spaces by the multiple partition plates 7 and 8.

[0040] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the process of attaching the partition plate 7 to the base frame 2, both ends of the partition plate 7 in the front-rear direction are inserted from above into the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25a and rail grooves 255 of rail section 25b, respectively. After that, the partition plate 7 is guided by the rail grooves 255 and moves downward by gravity, thereby being attached to the base frame 2. Since it only involves inserting both ends of the partition plate 7 into the rail grooves 255 and letting it fall, the attachment is easy. Therefore, the welding power supply device A1 can be further simplified in its assembly process. This process can also be performed by a robot. Since it only involves having the robot grasp the partition plate 7, move it to the position corresponding to the rail grooves 255, and then release the robot's grip, automation by robot is easy. The process of attaching the partition plate 8 to the base frame 2 is the same as described above.

[0041] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, even if there is a lateral misalignment of the partition plate 7, the guiding structure provided by the upper end portion 2513 and the upper end portion 2523 guides the partition plate 7 into the rail groove 255. Also, even if there is a front-to-back misalignment of the partition plate 7, the bent portion on the lower side of the partition plate 7 abuts against the notches 2514 and 2524 and is guided inward in the front-to-back direction, thereby guiding the partition plate 7 to the correct position. Therefore, the process of attaching the partition plate 7 to the base frame 2 is made easier. The process of attaching the partition plate 8 to the base frame 2 is the same as described above. In addition, automating these processes can widen the tolerance for alignment of the partition plates 7 and 8.

[0042] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the upper frame 3 of the housing 1 is fitted into and fixed to the base frame 2 from the upper side in the vertical direction of the base frame 2. The bottom plate 31 of the upper frame 3 abuts against the upper ends of the partition plates 7 and 8. The partition plates 7 and 8 are fixed by the upper frame 3 so as to be pressed against the bottom plate 21 of the base frame 2. Therefore, the welding power supply A1 can firmly fix the partition plates 7 and 8 to the base frame 2 without using screws.

[0043] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, both ends of the partition plates 7 and 8 in the vertical direction are bent, increasing the contact area with the bottom plate 21 of the base frame 2 and the bottom plate 31 of the upper frame 3. As a result, the partition plates 7 and 8 are stably fixed between the bottom plate 21 of the base frame 2 and the bottom plate 31 of the upper frame 3. In addition, the partition plates 7 and 8 are more closely fitted to the bottom plates 21 and 31, eliminating any gaps, thus improving the dustproof performance of the welding power supply unit A1. To further enhance the adhesion between the partition plates 7 and 8 and the bottom plates 21 and 31, a sponge rubber or the like may be placed between them.

[0044] In this embodiment, the case in which the rail groove 255 is composed of plate members 251 and 252 has been described, but it is not limited to this. The rail groove 255 may be composed of, for example, a single plate member that has been bent, or it may be formed by processing the front plate 22 and rear plate 23 of the frame 2. Also, if the front plate 22 and rear plate 23 have sufficient thickness, the rail groove 255 may be formed on the front plate 22 and rear plate 23 by cutting or other processes.

[0045] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a case where the welding power supply A1 outputs DC power, it is not limited to this. The welding power supply A1 may also be equipped with an inverter between the power conversion unit 9 and the output terminal to output AC power.

[0046] [Second Embodiment] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the welding power supply device A2 according to the second embodiment. Figure 8(a) is a cross-sectional view of the welding power supply device A2 viewed in the vertical direction, and corresponds to Figure 2(a). Figure 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the welding power supply device A2 viewed in the horizontal direction, and corresponds to Figure 3. In Figure 8, elements identical or similar to those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment, and redundant explanations are omitted. The welding power supply device A2 according to this embodiment differs from the welding power supply device A1 according to the first embodiment in that the partition plates 7 and 8 are arranged so as to be perpendicular in the front-rear direction. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0047] The frame 2 according to the second embodiment further comprises side plates 241 and 242. Side plate 241 is a rectangular plate arranged perpendicular to the left-right direction and is connected to one end of the bottom plate 21 in the left-right direction (the right end in Figure 8(a)). Side plate 241 is provided with a plurality of through holes that penetrate in the left-right direction. Side plate 242 is a rectangular plate arranged perpendicular to the left-right direction and is connected to the other end of the bottom plate 21 in the left-right direction (the left end in Figure 8(a)). Side plate 242 is provided with a plurality of through holes that penetrate in the left-right direction. In the frame 2 according to the second embodiment, rail sections 25a and 25c are fixed to the inner surface of side plate 242. Rail sections 25b and 25d are fixed to the inner surface of side plate 241.

[0048] Partition plate 7 is installed between rail section 25a and rail section 25b and is positioned perpendicular to the front-to-back direction. Partition plate 8 is installed between rail section 25c and rail section 25d and is positioned perpendicular to the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the interior of the frame 2 is partitioned in the front-to-back direction by partition plates 7 and 8.

[0049] In this embodiment as well, the partition plate 7 is held and fixed from both sides by the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25a and rail grooves 255 of rail section 25b. Therefore, screws are not required to attach the partition plate 7 to the base frame 2. Since the partition plate 7 does not need to be fixed to the base frame 2 with screws, the welding power supply unit A2 can be simplified in its assembly process. Similarly, the partition plate 8 is held and fixed from both sides by the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25c and rail grooves 255 of rail section 25d. Therefore, screws are not required to attach the partition plate 8 to the base frame 2. Since the partition plate 8 does not need to be fixed to the base frame 2 with screws, the welding power supply unit A2 can be simplified in its assembly process. Furthermore, the welding power supply unit A2 can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment with the same configuration as the welding power supply unit A1.

[0050] [Third Embodiment] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the welding power supply device A3 according to the third embodiment. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the welding power supply device A3 viewed in the left-right direction, and corresponds to Figure 3. In Figure 9, elements identical or similar to those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment, and redundant explanations are omitted. The welding power supply device A3 according to this embodiment differs from the welding power supply device A1 according to the first embodiment in that the partition plates 7 and 8 are arranged to be perpendicular in the vertical direction. The configuration and operation of other parts of this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0051] In the frame 2 according to the third embodiment, the rail sections 25a and 25c are arranged and fixed to the inner surface 222 of the front plate 22 so as to extend in the left-right direction. The rail sections 25b and 25d are arranged and fixed to the inner surface 232 of the rear plate 23 so as to extend in the left-right direction.

[0052] Partition plate 7 is installed between rail section 25a and rail section 25b and is positioned perpendicular to the vertical direction. Partition plate 8 is installed between rail section 25c and rail section 25d and is positioned perpendicular to the vertical direction. Therefore, the interior of the frame 2 is divided vertically by partition plates 7 and 8.

[0053] In this embodiment as well, the partition plate 7 is held and fixed from both sides by the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25a and rail grooves 255 of rail section 25b. Therefore, screws are not required to attach the partition plate 7 to the base frame 2. Since the partition plate 7 does not need to be fixed to the base frame 2 with screws, the welding power supply unit A3 can be simplified in its assembly process. Similarly, the partition plate 8 is held and fixed from both sides by the rail grooves 255 of rail section 25c and rail grooves 255 of rail section 25d. Therefore, screws are not required to attach the partition plate 8 to the base frame 2. Since the partition plate 8 does not need to be fixed to the base frame 2 with screws, the welding power supply unit A3 can be simplified in its assembly process. Furthermore, the welding power supply unit A3 can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment with the same configuration as the welding power supply unit A1.

[0054] In the first to third embodiments, the present invention was described in the case where it is applied to a welding power supply device, but it is not limited thereto. The present invention can also be applied to power supply devices for thermal processing other than welding. For example, the present invention can be applied to power supply devices for thermal processing that supply power to plasma cutting systems that cut workpieces W by generating plasma at the tip of a torch, or to air arc gouging systems that perform groove cutting using the heat of an arc generated at the tip of a torch and the injection of compressed air. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to power supply devices other than power supply devices for thermal processing.

[0055] The power supply device and the method for manufacturing the power supply device according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above. The specific configuration of each part of the power supply device according to the present invention, and the specific processing of each step in the manufacturing method, can be modified in various ways. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] A1-A3: Welding power supply unit, 1: Housing, 2: Base frame, 255: Rail groove, 3: Upper frame, 7,8: Partition plate

Claims

1. A power conversion unit that converts the input power and outputs it, A housing for the aforementioned power conversion unit, A partition plate divides the inside of the aforementioned enclosure, Equipped with, The housing is provided with a pair of rail grooves arranged on both sides in a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and which hold and fix the partition plate from both sides in the first direction. power supply.

2. The housing comprises a base frame and an upper frame positioned above the base frame in the vertical direction. The pair of rail grooves are arranged in the frame so as to extend in the vertical direction. The upper frame is fixed to the base frame, thereby sandwiching and fixing the partition plate between it and the base frame. The power supply device according to claim 1.

3. The enclosure further comprises a second partition plate, which is arranged parallel to the aforementioned partition plate and partitions the interior of the enclosure, The housing is provided with a pair of second rail grooves arranged on both sides in the first direction, which hold and fix the second partition plate from both sides in the first direction. The power supply device according to claim 1.

4. The power conversion unit outputs power to generate an arc between the torch and the workpiece. A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The process involves preparing a base frame, an upper frame, and a partition plate, with a pair of rail grooves arranged on both sides of a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction so as to extend in the vertical direction, The process of guiding the partition plate into the pair of rail grooves and attaching it to the base frame, The process involves mounting the upper frame onto the base frame from above in the vertical direction, and fixing the upper frame and the base frame together, thereby sandwiching and fixing the partition plate between the upper frame and the base frame. It is equipped with A method for manufacturing a power supply unit.

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