Control device and switchgear

Abstract

For example, we disclose a technology that eliminates the need to directly detect an object being moved by a motor, such as an arm. [Solution] The control device may include an acquisition unit that acquires a status signal representing the rotation state of a motor that moves the opening / closing member between a closed position and an open position, and a control unit that, in a specific situation where the opening / closing member should be maintained at a specific position between the closed position and the open position, executes a movement process to move the opening / closing member using the motor when the acquired status signal indicates that the opening / closing member has moved from the specific position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in the present specification relates to a control device and an opening / closing device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a garage door having a door body rotatably attached to a support column. The door body is attached to the support column via an arm. The arm is rotationally driven by a drive motor. The garage door confirms the position of the door body by means of a rotary positioning sensor that detects the rotation angle of the arm. When the rotary positioning sensor detects that the door body has lowered by a predetermined angle from the open position of the entrance / exit, the drive motor is re-driven to rotate the arm upward.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above technology, a rotary positioning sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the arm must be disposed. The present specification discloses a technology that eliminates the need to directly detect an object moved by a motor, such as an arm, for example.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] The technology disclosed herein relates to a control device. The control device may include: an acquisition unit that acquires a status signal representing the rotational state of a motor that moves an opening / closing member between a closed position and an open position; and a control unit that performs a movement process to move the opening / closing member by the motor in a specific case where the acquired status signal indicates that the opening / closing member is moving from a specific position in a specific situation in which the opening / closing member should be maintained at a specific position between the closed position and the open position.

[0006] Other technologies disclosed herein relate to opening and closing devices. The opening and closing device comprises an opening and closing member, a motor for moving the opening and closing member between a closed position and an open position, and the control device described above. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the opening and closing device of the first embodiment is shown. [Figure 2] This shows a left side view of the opening and closing device of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the motor according to the first embodiment is shown. [Figure 4] A block diagram of the control device according to the first embodiment is shown. [Figure 5] A table showing an example of the motor status signal of the first embodiment is shown. [Figure 6] A flowchart of the stop-and-maintain process in the first embodiment is shown. [Figure 7] A perspective view of the opening and closing device of the second embodiment is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] (First Embodiment) (Configuration of the switchgear) As shown in Figure 1, the opening / closing device 10 is positioned at the front of the garage. The opening / closing device 10 comprises a pair of support columns 12, a pair of arms 14, a door body 20, a closing sensor 30, a motor 40, and a control device 50. The opening / closing device 10 opens and closes the front of the garage by rotating the door body 20 in the vertical direction.

[0009] The pair of support columns 12 are spaced apart from each other. The distance between the pair of support columns 12 is the entrance to the garage. The support columns 12 are fixed to the ground of the garage. The support columns 12 extend upward from the ground.

[0010] Each of the pair of support columns 12 has a pair of arms 14 attached to it so as to be rotatable around a pivot axis 12X. The base ends of the arms 14 are attached to the support columns 12. A door body 20 is attached to the tip of each arm 14. The door body 20 is positioned at the front of the garage.

[0011] As shown in Figure 2, the door body 20 is rotated by the arm 14 between a closed position 10a that closes the front of the garage and an open position 10b that opens the front of the garage by rotating upward from the closed position 10a.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, a motor 40 is located at the base end of the arm 14. The motor 40 is located inside the support column 12. As shown in Figure 3, the motor 40 is a three-phase brushless motor. The motor 40 comprises a stator 42, a rotor 44, a shaft 46, and three sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c.

[0013] The stator 42, rotor 44, shaft 46, and three sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c are housed in a housing (not shown). The stator 42 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 42 includes coils, teeth, etc. The rotor 44 is located inside the stator 42. The stator has a plurality of permanent magnets arranged in the outer circumference direction. The shaft 46 is located at the rotation center of the rotor 44. The shaft 46 extends from the inside of the rotor 44 and protrudes outside the housing. The shaft 46 is connected to the rotation axis 12X of the arm 14 via one or more gears (not shown).

[0014] Three sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c are mounted on the stator 42. Sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c include a Hall IC with a Hall element. Sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c detect the magnetic flux caused by the rotation of the rotor 44.

[0015] The motor 40 is controlled by the control device 50. As shown in Figure 4, the control device 50 comprises a control unit 52 and a communication unit 54. The control unit 52 includes a CPU and a storage unit. The storage unit includes volatile and non-volatile memory. In the control unit 52, the CPU executes processing according to computer programs stored in the storage unit. The communication unit 54 includes a communication interface for performing wireless communication. The communication unit 54 is communicably connected to the operating device 100. The communication unit 54 includes, for example, a communication interface for performing infrared communication.

[0016] The operating device 100 includes, for example, a remote controller for operating the door body 20. The operating device 100 has an open button for moving the door body 20 from the closed position 10a to the open position 10b, and a close button for moving the door body 20 from the open position 10b to the closed position 10a. The user can open and close the door body 20 by operating the open and close buttons of the operating device 100. The operating device 100 is not limited to a dedicated remote controller. The operating device 100 may be a mobile device such as a smartphone owned by the user.

[0017] The control unit 52 controls the motor 40 according to the computer program stored in the storage unit. Specifically, when the user operates the open button on the operating device 100, the control unit 52 rotates the arm 14 by driving the motor 40. This moves the door body 20 from the closed position 10a to the open position 10b. When the user operates the close button on the operating device 100, the control unit 52 rotates the arm 14 by driving the motor 40. This moves the door body 20 from the open position 10b to the closed position 10a.

[0018] The control unit 52 is communicatively connected to the closing sensor 30. The closing sensor 30 contacts the arm 14 when the door body 20 is placed at the closed position 10a. The closing sensor 30 detects the arm 14 by being pushed by the arm 14. When the door body 20 moves from the closed position 10a to the open position 10b, the closing sensor 30 separates from the arm 14 and becomes non-contacting. The closing sensor 30 does not detect the arm 14 when it is not in contact with the arm 14. The closing sensor 30 transmits a signal to the control unit 52 when the contact or non-contact state with the arm 14 changes. The control unit 52 determines whether the door body 20 is closed based on the signal from the closing sensor 30.

[0019] The control unit 52 drives the motor 40 by causing three-phase current to flow through the plurality of coils of the stator 42. The control unit 52 acquires state signals representing the state of the motor 40, that is, the rotation state of the rotor 44, from the sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c.

[0020] As shown in Figure 5, the control unit 52 identifies the position of the door body 20 by receiving the state signals from the sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c. When the door body 20 is at the closed position 10a, that is, in a state where the arm 14 is detected by the closing sensor 30, the count value of the state signal is reset to 0, that is, state 0. The control unit 52 stores in advance the count value N when the door body 20 is at the open position 10b, that is, state N.

[0021] The control unit 52 supplies current to the motor 40, causing the rotor 44 to rotate. Sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c detect changes in magnetic flux due to the rotation of the rotor 44. Sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c output either a "1" or a "0" signal depending on the strength of the magnetic flux. The control unit 52 performs a count of 1 each time the signals from sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c change. For example, in state 1, the control unit 52 receives a "1" signal from sensors 48a and 48c, and a "0" signal from sensor 48b. When the control unit 52 receives a "1" signal from sensor 48a and "0" signals from sensors 48b and 48c, the count value increases by 1 because the signal from sensor 48c has changed. By performing the count, the control unit 52 determines that the door body 20 has moved to the open position 10b when state N is reached, and stops the motor 40.

[0022] (Stop and maintain process) Next, with reference to Figure 6, the stop-maintenance process performed by the control unit 52 will be described. The stop-maintenance process is performed continuously as long as power is supplied to the opening / closing device 10. In the opening / closing device 10, if a downward load is applied to the door body 20 when it is in the open position 10b, the door body 20 may move downward from the open position 10b even though the control unit 52 is not controlling the motor 40. When the door body 20 moves downward from the open position 10b, the door body 20 may come into contact with an automobile, a person, etc.

[0023] In the opening / closing device 10, if the door body 20 is moved downward, the door body 20 can be returned to the open position 10b by executing a stop-and-maintain process. In the stop-and-maintain process, in S12, the control unit 52 determines whether or not the door body is stopped at a specific position. In the opening / closing device 10, the specific position is the position of the door body 20 in the open position 10b. That is, the control unit 52 determines whether or not the door body 20 is in the open position 10b. If the count value is N, i.e., state N, the control unit 52 determines that the door body 20 is in the open position 10b (YES in S12). If the count value is anything other than N, the control unit 52 determines that the door body 20 is not in the open position 10b (NO in S12).

[0024] If the answer to S12 is NO, the control unit 52 repeats S12 until it determines that the door body 20 is in the open position 10b. If the answer to S12 is YES, in S14 the control unit 52 determines whether or not it has detected the rotation of the motor 40. When the door body 20 is moved downward from the open position 10b, the rotor 44 connected to the door body 20 rotates. The magnetic flux detected by sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c changes. When the magnetic flux changes, sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c output either a "1" or a "0" signal. If the state signals obtained from sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c change from state N, the control unit 52 determines that it has detected the rotation of the motor 40.

[0025] If rotation of motor 40 is not detected, that is, if it remains in state N (NO in S14), the control unit 52 returns to the process in S12. If rotation of motor 40 is detected, that is, if state N changes (YES in S14), in S16, the control unit 52 returns the door body 20 to a specific position, i.e., the open position 10b. Specifically, the control unit 52 rotates motor 40 so that the state of motor 40 detected in S14 becomes state N. The processes in S14 and S16 are movement processes that move the door body 20 so that it is maintained in a specific position.

[0026] In S18, the control unit 52 determines whether the door body 20 has been moved from a specific position, i.e., the open position 10b. Specifically, when the close button is pressed from the operating device 100, the control unit 52 controls the motor 40 in parallel with the specific maintenance process to move the door body 20 from the open position 10b to the closed position 10a. When the door body 20 is moved from the open position 10b to the closed position 10a, the close sensor 30 comes into contact with the arm 14. As a result, the control unit 52 detects that the door body 20 is in the closed position 10a. If the control unit 52 detects that the door body 20 is in the closed position 10a, it determines that the door body 20 has been moved from the open position 10b (YES in S18). If the control unit 52 does not detect that the door body 20 is in the closed position 10a, it determines that the door body 20 has not been moved from the open position 10b (NO in S18).

[0027] If the answer to S18 is YES, the control unit 52 returns to S12. The control unit 52 moves the door body 20 from the open position 10b to the closed position 10a by driving the motor 40 in accordance with the operation of the close button. If the answer to S18 is NO, the door body 20 is maintained in the open position 10b. In S20, the control unit 52 determines whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the door body 20 stopped at a specific position, i.e., the open position 10b. The predetermined period of time is, for example, 10 minutes. If it is determined that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the door body 20 stopped at a specific position (YES in S20), the system returns to S18. If it is determined that a predetermined period of time has not elapsed since the door body 20 stopped at a specific position (NO in S20), the system returns to S12.

[0028] If a process to maintain the door body 20 in the open position 10b, i.e., processes S12 to S16, is executed after a predetermined period has elapsed since the door body 20 was stopped in the open position 10b, the motor 40 will be driven for a long period of time beyond the predetermined period. This may lead to deterioration of the motor 40. If it is determined that a predetermined period has elapsed since the door body 20 was stopped in a specific position (YES in S20), the operation of the motor 40 to maintain the door body 20 in the open position 10b can be stopped by not executing processes S12 to S16. This prevents deterioration of the motor 40 due to the stop-and-maintain process.

[0029] (effect) In the stop-and-maintain process, when the door body 20 should be kept in the open position 10b, and the status signal from the motor 40 indicates that the door body 20 has moved from the open position 10b, the control device 50 drives the motor 40 to return the door body 20 to the open position 10b. This allows the control device 50 to maintain the door body 20 in the open position 10b. As a result, even if the door body 20 is moved below the open position 10b due to a downward load applied to it, it is possible to prevent it from being maintained at a position below the open position 10b. This can prevent automobiles or other objects from coming into contact with the door body 20.

[0030] The rotation of the motor 40 is detected by status signals from sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c mounted on the motor 40. The motor 40 is equipped with sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c, which are typically Hall ICs, to control the motor 40. Therefore, it is not necessary to install a new sensor to perform the stop-maintain process. Sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c detect magnetic flux. Therefore, sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c can transmit status signals to the control unit 52 without physical contact. Degradation of sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c is less likely to occur. The control unit 52 can grasp the rotation of the motor 40 in detail using sensors 48a, 48b, and 48c. This allows it to appropriately grasp when the door body 20 moves from the open position 10b.

[0031] The control unit 52 stops the processing in S14 and S16, i.e., the movement process, when the door body 20 is in the closed position 10a. This eliminates the need to perform the movement process when the door body 20 is in the closed position 10a.

[0032] In the modified example, the specific position may be a position other than the open position 10b. In this case, in S18, the control unit 52 may determine that the object has been moved from the specific position if the movement process is executed (YES in S18). The control unit 52 may determine that the object has not been moved from the specific position if the movement process is not executed (NO in S18).

[0033] (Correspondence) The door body 20 is an example of an "opening / closing member". The "0" and "1" signals from the motor 40 are an example of a "status signal". The control unit 52 is an example of an "acquisition unit" and a "control unit".

[0034] (Second Embodiment) As shown in Figure 7, the opening / closing device 210 of this embodiment is a shutter device positioned on the front of a garage, store, etc. The opening / closing device 210 comprises a support 212, a shutter body 220, a winding shaft 230, a motor 240, and a control device 250. The opening / closing device 210 opens and closes the front of a garage, store, etc. by rotating the shutter body 220 in the vertical direction.

[0035] The support 212 is attached to a building such as a garage or shop. The support 212 has a rail section that guides the shutter body 220 in the vertical direction.

[0036] A winding shaft 230 is positioned at the upper end of the support 212. The winding shaft 230 has a cylindrical shape that extends horizontally. The winding shaft 230 is rotatably mounted on the support 212. One end of the shutter body 220 is attached to the winding shaft 230. The shutter body 220 is wound onto the winding shaft 230 by the rotation of the winding shaft 230. As a result, the shutter body 220 moves between a closed position 210a, which closes the front, and an open position 210b, which moves upward from the closed position to open the front. In Figure 7, the closed position 210a and the open position 210b represent the lower end position of the shutter body 220 in the closed position 210a and the open position 210b.

[0037] A motor 240 is positioned on the winding shaft 230. The motor 240 is located inside the support 212. The motor 240 has a configuration similar to that of the motor 40. The shaft of the motor 240 is connected to the winding shaft 230 via one or more gears (not shown). The motor 240 is controlled by a control device 250. The control device 250 has a configuration similar to that of the control device 50. The opening / closing device 210 further includes an operating device similar to that of the operating device 100.

[0038] The control device 250 controls the motor 240 according to a computer program stored in the storage unit. Specifically, similar to the opening / closing device 10, when the user operates the open button on the operating device, the control device 250 rotates the winding shaft 230 by driving the motor 240. This moves the shutter body 220 from the closed position 210a to the open position 210b. When the user operates the close button on the operating device, the control device 250 rotates the winding shaft 230 by driving the motor 240. This moves the shutter body 220 from the open position 210b to the closed position 210a.

[0039] (Stop and maintain process) The control device 250 performs a stop-and-maintain process similar to that of the control unit 52. In the stop-and-maintain process of this embodiment, the specific position is both the open position 210b and the closed position 210a. That is, in S12, the control device 250 determines whether the shutter body 220 is maintained in either the open position 210b or the closed position 210a.

[0040] In S14, if the rotation of the motor 240 is not detected, that is, if it remains in either state N or state 0 (NO in S14), the control device 250 returns to the process of S12. If the rotation of the motor 240 is detected, that is, if it changes from either state N or state 0 (YES in S14), in S16, the control device 250 drives the motor 240 to return the shutter body 220 to the specific position determined in S12, that is, either the open position 210b or the closed position 210a.

[0041] In S18, the control device 250 determines that the shutter body 220 has moved from the specific position if it is maintained in a position between the open position 210b and the closed position 210a (YES in S18). If it is maintained in either the open position 210b or the closed position 210a, it determines that the shutter body 220 has not moved from the specific position (NO in S18). S20 is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0042] In this embodiment, similar to the opening / closing device 10, it is possible to prevent automobiles or the like from coming into contact with the shutter body 220. In the opening / closing device 210, a stop-maintain process is also performed even in the closed position 210a. This allows the shutter body 220 to be moved to the closed position 210a if it is forced open manually.

[0043] (Correspondence) The shutter body 220 is an example of an "opening / closing member". The "0" and "1" signals from the motor 240 are an example of a "status signal". The control unit of the control device 250 is an example of an "acquisition unit" and a "control unit".

[0044] (modified version) In this embodiment, the opening and closing devices 10 and 210 may be, for example, a sliding gate or a sliding window that moves along the ground, in addition to a garage door and a shutter device. If the opening and closing device is a sliding gate, a status signal indicating the rotational state of the motor that slides the gate body can prevent the gate body from moving from either the open or closed position. This prevents the gate body from being forced open from the closed position, or from being caught in the gate body from the open position.

[0045] When the opening and closing mechanism is a sliding window, a status signal indicating the rotational state of the motor that rotates the window body can prevent the window body from moving from the closed position. This prevents pinching by the window body when it is in the open position.

[0046] The following are aspects of the technology disclosed herein.

[0047] The first embodiment is an opening / closing device. The opening / closing device may include an acquisition unit that acquires a status signal representing the rotation state of a motor that moves an opening / closing member between a closed position and an open position, and a control unit that executes a movement process to move the opening / closing member by the motor in a specific case where the acquired status signal indicates that the opening / closing member has moved from a specific position in a specific situation in which the opening / closing member should be maintained at a specific position between the closed position and the open position.

[0048] In a second embodiment, the acquisition unit may acquire a status signal representing the rotational state of the motor, which is detected by a Hall IC included in the motor.

[0049] In a third embodiment, in any one of the first to second embodiments described above, the control unit may, in the specific situation, execute the movement process to return the opening / closing member to the specific position using the motor in the specific case.

[0050] The fourth embodiment is that, in any one of the first to third embodiments, the control unit may execute the movement process in the specific case while the specific condition continues for a predetermined period of time, and may stop the movement process even if the specific case occurs after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

[0051] A fifth embodiment further comprises a detection unit for detecting when the opening / closing member is in the closed position, in any one of the first to fourth embodiments described above, and the control unit may stop the movement process when it is detected that the opening / closing member is in the closed position.

[0052] The sixth aspect relates to an opening / closing device. The opening / closing device may include an opening / closing member, a motor for moving the opening / closing member between the closed position and the open position, and a control device from any one of the first to fifth aspects described above.

[0053] A seventh embodiment is the sixth embodiment described above, in which the opening and closing member may include a support column and a door body supported so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction relative to the support column.

[0054] The specific examples of the technology disclosed herein have been described in detail above. These are merely illustrative examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above. Modifications of the above embodiments are listed below.

[0055] (1) The sensors that detect the rotation of motors 40 and 240 may be sensors other than Hall ICs. The sensors may be built into motors 40 and 240. The sensors may not be built into motors 40 and 240. The control devices 50 and 250 may acquire status signals from the sensors that represent the status of motors 40 and 240.

[0056] (2) The specific position is not particularly limited. It may be any other position, as well as the open position 10b, 210b and the closed position 210a.

[0057] The technical elements described in at least one of this specification and the drawings exhibit technical utility individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. The technologies illustrated in at least one of this specification and the drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving even one of these objectives itself constitutes technical utility. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 10: Opening / closing device, 10a: Closed position, 10b: Open position, 12: Support column, 14: Arm, 20: Door body, 30: Closed sensor, 40: Motor, 42: Stator, 44: Rotor, 46: Shaft, 48a, 48b, 48c: Sensors, 50: Control device, 210: Opening / closing device, 210a: Closed position, 210b: Open position, 212: Support body, 220: Shutter body, 230: Winding shaft, 240: Motor, 250: Control device

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires a status signal representing the rotation state of the motor that moves the opening / closing member between the closed position and the open position, A control device comprising: a control unit that performs a movement process to move the opening / closing member by the motor in a specific case where, in a specific situation in which the opening / closing member should be maintained at a specific position between the closed position and the open position, the acquired status signal indicates that the opening / closing member has moved from the specific position.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires a status signal representing the rotation state of the motor, which is detected by a Hall IC included in the motor.

3. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control unit, in the specific circumstances, executes the movement process to return the opening / closing member to the specific position using the motor in the specific case.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit executes the movement process in the specific case while the specific condition continues for a predetermined period of time, and stops the movement process even if the specific case occurs after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

5. The system further includes a detection unit that detects when the opening / closing member is in the closed position, The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control unit stops the movement process when it is detected that the opening / closing member is in the closed position.

6. Opening and closing member, A motor that moves the opening / closing member between the closed position and the open position, A switching device comprising a control device according to any one of claims 1 to 2.

7. The opening and closing member is Support posts and The opening and closing device according to claim 6, comprising a door body supported by the aforementioned support column so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction.

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