Air compressor, external terminal device, computer program and system

Abstract

To provide an air compressor which can promote the effective use of the air compressor, an external terminal device, a computer program, and a system.SOLUTION: An air compressor comprises: a motor; a compression mechanism driven by the motor, and creating compressed air; a tank for storing the compressed air which is created by the compression mechanism; and a pressure acquisition part for acquiring the internal pressure of the tank. A control part for controlling the air compressor is constituted so as to display a display body for changing a display form according to a magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank which is acquired by the pressure acquisition part, in a prescribed region of a display screen of the display device which is arranged at a compressor main body of the air compressor or an external terminal device which is arranged so as to be communicative with the air compressor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air compressor, an external terminal device, a computer program, and a system. Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] At construction sites and other work sites, cutting, nailing, screwing, and other tasks are performed using tools. Pneumatic tools that use compressed air as their driving energy are widely used. Drivers and nailers for driving fasteners such as staples, pins, screws, and nails are known. An air compressor supplies compressed air to these pneumatic tools.

[0003] In general, air compressors use a motor whose rotational motion is transmitted through a crankshaft to the inside of a cylinder. The air is converted into reciprocating motion of the piston, and the reciprocating motion of the piston draws air through the intake valve of the cylinder. The compressed air in the cylinder is compressed into the cylinder. It is discharged from the exhaust valve through a pipe into the tank and stored in the tank.

[0004] Such air compressors are sometimes used on construction sites. For example, place the air compressor on a lower floor or near a temporary power source, and use pneumatic tools on an upper floor. In such cases, the air compressor is used by the worker to They may be installed several meters to several tens of meters away from the site where the processing is carried out. When working under different conditions depending on the object or when changing the operating mode of the air compressor, In the event that a restart operation is required, the worker must stop work on site and restart the air pre- The problem was that the air compressor could not be operated unless the operator moved to the location where the ressa was installed. There was.

[0005] In order to solve such problems, Patent Document 1 describes a method for remotely operating an air compressor. The technology is described in which a control unit is detachably attached to a main unit. The transmitted internal pressure information is received and an air pressure gauge is displayed which indicates the internal pressure with a needle. The user must provide an O2 supply to start the air compressor motor when the internal pressure drops. Press the N button to stop the air compressor motor when the internal pressure becomes high enough. Press the OFF button to stop the operation.

[0006] Patent Document 2 describes a system in which multiple air compressors are managed by a computer in a remote location. The computer receives the operating information of the air compressor, Display this.

[0007] Patent Document 3 describes the configuration of a typical air compressor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-194005 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2002-122079 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2015-17556 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, the inventors of the present application have provided the air compressor with a remote control function. Regardless, the type of pneumatic tool to which the air compressor is connected and the work content (hereinafter, The type of pneumatic tool, the operating time, the fasteners and screws and the type of workpiece into which they are driven The content of work, including the type of work, is referred to as "work content, etc." For example, an air compressor can be configured to operate in multiple operating modes and remotely controlled. Even if one of the operation functions has the function to select the operation mode, Similarly, many users choose only the high output mode. Although shortages are unlikely to occur, the load on the air compressor is high, so the product life of the air compressor is shortened. It also has low operating efficiency. On the other hand, depending on the type of work, high-output motors are The code is not necessarily required.

[0010] The air compressor described in Patent Document 1 uses the following information to start and stop the motor: It just displays the internal pressure. The motor is started or stopped depending on the internal pressure. To facilitate this, the start and stop buttons for the air compressor are displayed along with the internal pressure. Since it is just a compressor, the functions of the air compressor can be effectively utilized according to the work content, etc. The technologies described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 also do not provide a technology for This does not provide technology to promote the effective use of

[0011] Therefore, the present invention provides an air compressor that can promote effective use of the air compressor, The object is to provide an external terminal device, a computer program, and a system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present disclosure relates to a compressor including a motor, a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air, a control unit for controlling the motor; and a storage unit for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism. and a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring the internal pressure of the tank. The present invention also provides a control unit for controlling the air compressor. A display device provided on a compressor body of an air compressor, or The pressure acquisition unit displays the pressure in a predetermined area on the display screen of the external terminal device that is provided so as to be able to communicate with the pressure sensor. A display that changes its display form according to the magnitude of the acquired internal pressure of the tank is displayed. The display form of the display body is configured to transmit information for the display body. The display mode of the display may be either the shape or the color. , the change may be caused by changing the movement, etc.

[0013] "Indicator" refers to an object that can be visually distinguished from its surroundings. By increasing or decreasing the brightness of the Also, by displaying it in a different color from the surroundings, This includes objects that can be seen as distinct from their surroundings. For example, the surroundings can be displayed in a gray luminous color and the interior can be displayed in a This includes objects that appear distinguishable from their surroundings when displayed with different luminous colors.

[0014] Here, the internal pressure of the tank with respect to a preset predetermined pressure value (including a maximum pressure value) The ratio of the pressure value to the area of ​​the predetermined region may be displayed as a ratio of the area of ​​the display body to the area of ​​the predetermined region. is the maximum pressure value, and when the internal pressure of the tank is the maximum pressure value, the area of ​​the display body is It becomes area. In addition, the internal pressure of the tank relative to a preset pressure value (including the maximum pressure value) The ratio may be displayed by the luminescent color of the display.

[0015] The predetermined area extends in a first direction, and the display body has a length of the predetermined area in the first direction. It may be displayed as having a length corresponding to the percentage.

[0016] The predetermined region includes a first partial region extending in a first direction and a second partial region extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. a second partial region having a second direction end connected to a first direction end of the first partial region; and a second partial region having a length in the first direction and a length in the second direction of the display body. Alternatively, the first partial region may be displayed so as to have a length corresponding to a ratio of the sum of the lengths of the first partial regions in the first partial region and the second partial region in the second partial region.

[0017] "Maximum pressure value" refers to the internal pressure of the air compressor tank set according to the operating mode. For example, if a user sets 3.0 MPa as the maximum internal pressure of a tank, When set as a large value, the maximum pressure value is 3.0 MPa.

[0018] The control unit includes a load acquisition unit that acquires a load of the motor based on a current value supplied to the motor. The load of the motor acquired by the load acquisition unit may be displayed on the display screen in a manner similar to that of the display body. The indication may be by light color.

[0019] Furthermore, the control unit is configured to detect the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit and restart the motor. The motor is driven based on a predetermined motor start pressure value, which is a pressure value at which the motor is started. The internal pressure of the tank obtained by the above and a predetermined motor pressure value which is a pressure value for stopping the motor The motor may be controlled to stop the motor based on the stop pressure value.

[0020] In the second area AR2 of the display screen, the motor start pressure value or the motor stop pressure value is displayed. At least one of them may be displayed. The maximum pressure value is the pressure value at which the motor stops generating compressed air. It may also be expressed as the stop pressure value (sometimes called the OFF pressure value).

[0021] In addition, the display screen shows the air conditioner that is connected to an air compressor and can be driven by compressed air. The pressure value used for the pressure tool may be displayed. In addition, the display device or the external terminal device may display the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value. The operating unit 20C may include an operating unit 20C for inputting at least one of the force values. A touch panel display may also be provided. The display screen displays the motor start pressure value inputted by the operation unit 20C, or At least one of the motor stall pressure values ​​may be displayed. Such a compressor is an air compressor connected to a nailer that drives fasteners. may be applied to.

[0022] Other areas of the display screen include information on the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit, The tank internal pressure information previously acquired by the acquisition unit and the connection to the air compressor Based on the information obtained from the nailer, which can be driven by compressed air, The number of fasteners that can be inserted may also be indicated.

[0023] The present disclosure further provides a compression mechanism for generating compressed air, and and a tank for storing compressed air. This external terminal device transmits the internal pressure information of the tank to the air conditioner. a communication unit for receiving the internal pressure information from the pressure sensor, and A display that changes its display form according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank is displayed within a predetermined area of ​​the display screen. The display unit is provided with a display unit that displays the information on the display unit. The display unit is provided with a display area, a shape, or a color of the display unit. At least one of them may be changed. In addition, the brightness, lighting, blinking, movement, etc. of the display may be changed. The display unit may also display the internal pressure of the tank relative to a preset pressure value. The light emitting area within a predetermined region of the display screen may be varied based on the ratio of the local pressure.

[0024] The external terminal device inputs at least one of the motor start pressure value and the motor stop pressure value. The communication unit is provided with an operation unit 20C for controlling the motor starting pressure value and and the motor stop pressure value to the air compressor. The present invention may be configured as follows.

[0025] Here, the communication unit is configured to receive the internal pressure information of the tank at a predetermined period, Based on the internal pressure information of the plurality of tanks received by the unit, The display unit includes an interpolation pressure information acquisition unit that acquires the interpolation pressure information to be interpolated, and the display unit is Based on the acquired internal pressure information of the tank, the light emitting area within a predetermined area of ​​the display screen is adjusted. The pressure information acquisition unit acquires pressure information between the different displays at a predetermined interval. Based on the interpolated pressure information obtained by the above, the light emitting area in a predetermined area of ​​the display screen is varied. The device may be configured to perform a display that prompts the user to

[0026] In addition, the present disclosure relates to a compression mechanism for generating compressed air, and and a tank for storing the compressed air. A computer program for an external terminal device capable of The program displays the image in a predetermined area on an external terminal device having a display screen and a computer. The display changes its display form according to the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank. The computer program transmits to the external terminal device at least the display area, shape, or color of the display. Alternatively, the brightness, lighting, or blinking of the display may be changed. The internal pressure of the tank may be changed relative to a preset pressure value. A display body having a different display area may be displayed based on the ratio. A motor, a compression mechanism for generating compressed air driven by the motor, and a compressor for controlling the motor a control unit for controlling the compressor to generate compressed air; and a tank for storing the compressed air generated by the compression mechanism. An air compressor comprising: a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring an internal pressure of a tank, An air compressor having a control unit for controlling the air compressor; An external terminal device capable of wireless communication with the air pre-sensor is used to transmit the internal pressure information of the tank to the air pre-sensor. A communication unit for receiving internal pressure information from the loader, and a pressure sensor for detecting internal pressure information based on the internal pressure information obtained by the communication unit. A display unit that changes its display form depending on the level of the internal pressure of the tank is displayed on a predetermined area of ​​the display screen. and an external terminal device having a display unit for displaying information within the external terminal device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an air compressor. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an air compressor and an external terminal device. [Diagram 3] This shows the relationship between the change in the internal pressure of the tank and the driving and stopping times of the motor. [Figure 4] 13 is an example of a display screen in a high output mode. [Figure 5A] FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of the display screen in silent mode. [Figure 5B] FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of the display screen in silent mode. [Figure 6A] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing how a user changes the OFF pressure value / ON pressure value. [Figure 6B] This is the display screen when the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value are set. [Figure 7A] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using an air compressor, an external terminal device, and a pneumatic tool. [Figure 7B] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using an air compressor, an external terminal device, and a pneumatic tool. [Figure 8A] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display according to a modified example. [Figure 8B] FIG. 11 is a partial enlarged view of a display screen according to a modified example. [Figure 9] 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using an air compressor, an external terminal device, and a pneumatic tool according to another embodiment. [Figure 10A] FIG. 13 is a partial enlarged view of a display screen according to another embodiment. [Figure 10B] FIG. 13 is a partial enlarged view of a display screen according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The examples are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air compressor 1 according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a compressor 1 and an external terminal device 20. FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the air compressor 1 includes a motor 4 and a a compression mechanism 3 for generating compressed air by blowing a compressed air through a compressor; a control unit 5 for controlling a motor 4; A tank 8 for storing the compressed air generated by the mechanism 3, and a device for controlling the internal pressure of the tank 8 and a pressure sensor 12 (an example of a "pressure acquisition unit") for acquiring the pressure.

[0030] The air compressor 1 according to this embodiment is connected to a pneumatic tool (not shown). Air tools include, for example, air drivers, staples, pins, screws, nails, etc. This is a nailer that drives in fasteners such as these.

[0031] The tank 8 stores compressed air to be supplied to the pneumatic tool. The tank 8 may be, for example, The tank 8 can store compressed air having a pressure of 4.4 MPa or less. A compressed air outlet 9 (FIG. 2) is provided for supplying air to the pneumatic tools. The air compressor 1 has two compressed air outlets 9 and supplies high-pressure compressed air. a high pressure outlet 9A for supplying compressed air at a relatively low pressure, and a low pressure outlet 9B for supplying compressed air at a relatively low pressure. The high pressure outlet 9A and the low pressure outlet 9B are provided with a pressure reducing pipe that is decompressed to a desired pressure. Two pressure reducing valves 10A and 10B are provided for supplying the compressed air to the pneumatic tools. The high pressure outlet 9A and the low pressure outlet 9B are connected to hoses (not shown) for supplying compressed air to pneumatic tools. The connector (shown in the figure) is configured to be detachable.

[0032] The pressure sensor 12 acquires the internal pressure of the tank 8. The pressure sensor 12 is, for example, A piezo-resistive sensor whose resistance changes according to air pressure, or a pressure sensor whose capacitance changes according to air pressure. The pressure sensor 12 may be a strain gauge type sensor. The MPU 5A of the tank 8 acquires information indicating the internal pressure of the tank 8 from the pressure sensor 12. pressure sensor 12, high pressure outlet 9A, low pressure outlet 9B, pressure reducing valves 10A and 10B This part is called the tank part 2.

[0033] The compression mechanism 3 is driven by a motor 4 to generate compressed air. For example, the actuator may include a cylinder and a piston disposed in the cylinder, and the piston may be moved by a motor 4. The air supplied to the cylinder from the intake valve is compressed by reciprocating the The compressed air is supplied to the tank 8 via a connecting pipe 14. will be done.

[0034] The motor 4 drives the compression mechanism 3. The motor 4 according to the present embodiment drives the piston of the compression mechanism 3. The motor 4 generates the driving force to reciprocate the tons. The stator 4 has three-phase windings 16A, 16B, and 16C of U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase. The rotor 17 has three-phase windings 16A, 16B, and 16C. The rotor 17 rotates due to the rotating magnetic field generated by the current flowing through it. A piston engages with a rotor connected to a rotating shaft and reciprocates.

[0035] The control unit 5 controls the motor 4. Furthermore, the control unit 5 controls the display on the external terminal device 20. The control unit 5 supplies necessary information to the external terminal device 20. A converter circuit 5B converts the input current into a DC power supply and supplies it to an inverter circuit 5C. The DC power supply supplied from the motor circuit 5B is switched to supply the three-phase windings 16A, 16B, 16C, and an inverter circuit 5C for obtaining the load of the motor 4. a circuit 5D, a communication circuit 5E for communicating with an external terminal device 20, a converter circuit 5B, The inverter circuit 5C and the MPU 5A are provided for controlling the communication circuit 5E.

[0036] The converter circuit 5B may have a known configuration. For example, A rectifier circuit having a diode for converting a voltage to a DC voltage and a diode for controlling the voltage of the DC voltage The boost circuit has a switching element to boost the DC voltage, and a capacitor to smooth the DC voltage. The MPU 5A controls the switching of the boost circuit of the converter circuit 5B. By controlling the switching element, PAM (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) control can be performed. It is possible.

[0037] The inverter circuit 5C can have a known configuration. For example, and IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistors) connected in a three-phase bridge between the ground wires. The switching element is made of a FET (Field Effect Transistor). PU5A is a duty cycle of a gate signal that controls a switching element of the inverter circuit 5C. By changing the ratio, it is possible to perform PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control. It is Noh.

[0038] The detection circuit 5D includes a current detection circuit (an example of a "load acquisition unit") and a voltage detection circuit. The current detection circuit is connected to at least one of the three-phase windings 16A, 16B, and 16C. The current detection circuit detects the current flowing through the A current detection sensor may be used to detect the current flowing through the windings 16A, 16B, and 16C of the motor 4. Since the current varies depending on the load of the motor 4, the current detection circuit detects the load of the motor 4. The MPU 5A functions as a load acquisition unit that acquires the load of the motor 4 from the current detection circuit. Based on this, the converter circuit 5B and the inverter circuit 5C are controlled. The MPU 5A can also transmit information indicating the load of the motor 4 to the communication circuit. The voltage detection circuit transmits the voltage to the external terminal device 20 via the converter circuit 5B. The MPU 5A detects the power supply voltage from the voltage detection circuit. The information is acquired, and the converter circuit 5B and the inverter circuit 5C are controlled based on the information. Also, the MPU 5A transmits information indicating the power supply voltage via the communication circuit 5E as follows: The data is transmitted to the external terminal device 20.

[0039] The communication circuit 5E transmits and receives information to and from the external terminal device 20 via wireless communication. The wired communication is, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication standard, wireless LAN communication standard, Zi It is preferable that the communication circuit 5E conforms to a technical standard such as the gbee (registered trademark) communication standard. For example, information is transmitted and received between the external terminal device 20 and the Bluetooth communication standard. The device is provided with an interface circuit for

[0040] The MPU 5A receives information indicating the internal pressure of the tank 8 from the pressure sensor 12 (hereinafter, “internal pressure The load information of the motor 4 is obtained from the current detection circuit. The power supply voltage is detected by the voltage detection circuit. Based on this, the converter circuit 5B and the inverter circuit 5 The MPU generates a control signal for controlling the motor 4. 5A transmits internal pressure information, load information, and power supply voltage information to an external terminal using a communication circuit 5E. Furthermore, the MPU 5A transmits the received signal to the external terminal device 20 using the communication circuit 5E. The information for selecting the operation mode, the information for selecting the rotation amount of the motor 4, and the information for selecting the motor The motor 4 is configured to be controllable based on information indicating a motor start pressure value and a motor stop pressure value. It is being done.

[0041] More specifically, the MPU 5A controls the motor start control circuit 110 to be preset according to the operation mode. ON pressure value (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "ON pressure value") and motor stop pressure value (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "OF F pressure value) from a storage element included in the MPU 5A, or Received from the external terminal device 20 and compared with the current internal pressure of the tank 8 based on the internal pressure information. However, when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is equal to or lower than the motor starting pressure value, the control for driving the motor 4 is A control signal (a PAM signal for driving the switching element of the converter circuit 5B and an inverter signal) A PWM signal for driving the switching element of the converter circuit 5C is generated. By supplying the power to the line 5B and the inverter circuit 5C, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is increased to the level where the motor stops. The motor 4 is driven until the internal pressure of the tank 8 reaches the motor stop pressure value. When the pressure reaches the motor start pressure, the MPU 5A stops the motor 4 and continues to operate until the internal pressure reaches the motor start pressure value. The motor 4 is not restarted. When the internal pressure of the tank 8 drops to the motor start pressure value, the MPU 5A starts again. The motor 4 is restarted until the internal pressure of the tank 8 reaches the motor stop pressure value. By repeatedly executing such control, the MPU 5A detects the internal pressure of the tank 8 and The internal pressure of the tank 8 is maintained within a range between the dynamic pressure value and the motor stop pressure value. Take control.

[0042] For example, Air Compressor 1 has three modes: high output mode, quiet mode, and custom mode. The device is configured to operate in a similar mode. FIG. 3 shows the high output mode (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "high power mode"). The relationship between the change in the internal pressure of the tank 8 and the driving time and stop time of the motor 4 is shown. Output modes include screw tightening using an air driver as a pneumatic tool, nailing without screws using a nailer, etc. This is an operating mode suitable for work that consumes a large amount of air. In this mode, the OFF pressure value is 4.4 MPa and the ON pressure value is 3.8 MPa. Control unit 5, the motor 4 is turned on so that the internal pressure of the tank 8 does not exceed the OFF pressure value, which is the maximum pressure value. Take control.

[0043] Quiet mode is suitable for work that requires less power than high-power mode, such as interior work. In silent mode, the OFF pressure value is 3.0MPa and the ON pressure value is 2.5M. The control unit 5 controls the motor 4 so that the internal pressure of the tank 8 remains within this range. Control. In the custom mode, the OFF and ON pressure values ​​are set by the user according to the work content, etc. This is an operation mode in which the motor 4 is operated based on the air compressor 1 according to the present embodiment. The can be operated in custom modes. For example, depending on the pneumatic tool and the work to be done, In quiet mode, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is insufficient, and in high power mode, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is For example, the OFF pressure for the base coat is set to 4.0 MPa, and the ON pressure is set to 5.0 MPa. A value of 3.2MPa may be preferred, in which case tank 8 will be used in silent mode. The internal pressure of the tank 8 is too high in high power mode. Depending on the type of work, the interval between the OFF and ON pressure values ​​may be set narrower to reduce the amount of compressed air consumed. There are cases where you want to keep the pressure constant, and conversely, you may want to set the interval between the OFF and ON pressure values ​​wider. In some cases, this may be acceptable. In addition, depending on the work environment, it may be necessary to work as quietly as possible. You may want to proceed with the custom mode. In this manner, the air compressor 1 can be operated.

[0044] The air compressor 1 has multiple operating modes for the rotation speed of the motor 4. For example, it has three operating modes: high rotation mode, medium rotation mode, and low rotation mode. The higher the rotation speed of the motor 4, the more compressed air is generated, so the tank fills up in a short time. It is possible to increase the internal pressure of the 8 (i.e., by increasing the slope of the solid line in FIG. 3). However, there is a drawback in that the higher the rotation speed, the louder the noise. In custom mode, the rotation speed can be set to any speed set by the user or It is also possible to operate the motor 4 based on a selected predetermined rotation speed.

[0045] The MPU 5A receives the motor start pressure value, the motor stop pressure value, and the motor The MPU 5A acquires information for setting the rotation speed of the motor 4 from the external terminal device 20. For setting the received motor start pressure value, motor stop pressure value, and rotation speed of the motor 4 Based on the information, a PAM signal and a PWM signal are generated to drive the motor 4. Control 4.

[0046] The hardware configuration of the MPU5A is a processor that is a calculation processing device and a memory element. The memory element is a volatile semiconductor memory element SRA used as a primary memory means. M (Static Random Access Memory) and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) It is a non-volatile semiconductor memory element used as a non-transitory storage means. It consists of NOR type flash memory and NAND type flash memory. The semiconductor memory element performs the processes and the like that are disclosed in this specification and are executed by the control circuit unit. computer programs for carrying out the operations of the computer in accordance with prescribed technical standards; Computer program, various operation modes (power mode, quiet mode, custom mode, etc.) PAM control and PWM control are performed according to the ON and OFF pressure values ​​and each operation mode. Executes the various processes disclosed in this specification, such as data for generating control signals for The MPU5A is a multi-processor system that consists of multiple processors, memory elements, etc. For example, the motor 4 may be configured with an MCU for controlling the motor 4 and the The MPU 5A may be configured from a GPU for displaying the display device DS2. .

[0047] The external terminal device 20 is a device for controlling the air compressor 1 from a location remote from the air compressor 1. The external terminal device 20 is a terminal device that can operate the external terminal device 20. A portable computer that has a display screen DS for displaying information such as a smartphone and is capable of wireless communication. The computer device is a computer system for executing the processes according to the present embodiment. Install and run application programs (computer programs) In this way, it is possible to configure the external terminal device 20 according to this embodiment.

[0048] The external terminal device 20 receives information including the internal pressure information of the tank 8 from the air compressor 1. A communication circuit 20D (an example of a "communication unit") for receiving information including the internal pressure of the tank 8. A display unit 20B including a display screen DS for displaying a motor start pressure value and a motor stop pressure value. An operation unit 20C for inputting at least one of the pressure values, a communication circuit 20D, and a display unit 20 B and the operation unit 20C to execute each process by the external terminal device 20 according to this embodiment. and an MPU 20A having a processor and a memory element for performing the above-mentioned operations. The MPU 20A also functions as an interpolated pressure information acquisition unit 20A1.

[0049] The communication circuit 20D transmits and receives information to and from the air compressor 1 via wireless communication. The communication circuit 20D, like the communication circuit 5E of the control unit 5, is a IEEE 802.11XX standards) and Bluetooth communication standards (Bluetooth The external terminal device 20 communicates with the external terminal device 20 in accordance with the Bluetooth standard (including the Bluetooth standard defined by the Bluetooth SIG). The communication circuit 20D includes an interface circuit for transmitting and receiving information between the control unit 5. Receives information such as internal pressure information, load information, and power supply voltage information transmitted from the communication circuit 5E. The MPU 20A receives the internal pressure information, the load information, and the power supply voltage information from the communication circuit 20D. Obtain information such as news.

[0050] The display unit 20B has a display screen DS. The display screen DS displays information including internal pressure information. In the high power mode, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 4.4 MPa. 5A and 5B show an example of information displayed on the display screen DS when the silent mode is selected. When the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 2.8 MPa and 1.0 MPa, respectively, FIG. 13 is a partial enlarged view of the display screen DS.

[0051] As shown in these drawings, the display screen DS has a display for displaying the internal pressure of the tank 8. The first area AR1 (an example of a "predetermined area") is provided. A length equal to or greater than half the length of the display screen DS in the horizontal direction (sometimes called the "first direction"). The first region AR1 is provided to extend in the first direction so as to have a length. The left end of the first area AR1 is the left end of the first area AR2. extends in the lower left direction of the paper and points to the number "0" displayed in the area surrounding the first area AR1. Therefore, the left end of the short side of the first area AR1 has a portion extending in the lower left direction. The short side at the right end of the area AR1 extends in the upper right direction of the page and connects to the upper long side. By displaying the first area AR1 in this way, the user can see the internal It is easy to see that the pressure is low and that the closer to the right end the higher the internal pressure becomes. .

[0052] In the first area AR1, the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank 8 acquired by the pressure sensor 12 is The display DS2 is a display that changes the display area according to the size of the object. In this embodiment, the area around the first area AR1 is The indicator DS2 is displayed in black or gray, and the indicator DS2 is displayed in red, yellow, green, etc. The display body DS2 is represented by being displayed in a luminous color that can be distinguished from the surrounding area. In addition, by making the brightness higher or lower than the surrounding area, it can be distinguished visually. Alternatively, a display such as the one shown in FIG.

[0053] FIG. 4 shows the display DS2 when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is at the maximum pressure value of 4.4 MPa. As shown in the figure, at this time, the display DS2 is displayed over the entire first area AR1. Therefore, the first area AR1 and the display body DS2 coincide with each other. FIG. 5A shows an indicator DS2 when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 2.8 MPa. At this time, the internal pressure of tank 8 (2 The proportion of the pressure in the first area AR1 is 63%. It is displayed so as to occupy about 63% (for example, 53% to 73%) of the area. Since the area AR1 is provided so as to extend in the first direction, the display body DS2 is The length of the first region AR1 in the direction is about 63% (for example, 53% to 73%). The area of ​​the first area AR1 where the display DS2 is not displayed is For example, it may be displayed in the same black or grey colour as the surrounding area. As shown in FIG. 4, other areas of the display screen DS (for example, the first area AR1 The upper area displays information about the status of the air compressor 1. The icon indicates an abnormality, and text information about the abnormality (for example, Information explaining that an abnormality has occurred in the inverter circuit 5C) is displayed. Display area Because of the limited number of available screens, text information may be displayed by moving the text. Here, the icon indicating "abnormality" may be set in a number of types. For example, the icon indicating "abnormality" may be set in a number of types, such as motor 4. icon indicates that the compressor is too hot, and icon indicates that the air compressor 1 is too cold. icon, icon indicating high power supply voltage, icon indicating low power supply voltage, Air compressor 1 drain cock is left open icon, Air compressor Icons indicating that the Ressa 1 is due for inspection, along with explanatory text The air compressor 1 may be configured to selectively display the abnormality. Sometimes, examples of actions that the user should take may be displayed. For example, motor and control circuitry When the unit is notifying you that the temperature is high, place the unit in a well-ventilated location to allow it to cool down. When the device warns you of an abnormal voltage, it is recommended that you check the status of the power source and extension cord. Also, as shown in Figure 4, when no abnormality is occurring, In this case, the text information "Normal operation" may be displayed. The information indicating the state is that the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 are not connected. Text information may be displayed. In addition, if a timer function is running, a text indicating the time may be displayed. The character information may be displayed as a countdown.

[0054] FIG. 5B shows the indicator DS2 when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is 1.0 MPa. At this time, the internal pressure of tank 8 (1. 0 MPa) is 22%. Therefore, the display body DS2 has a surface area of ​​the first region AR1 It is displayed as occupying about 22% (for example, 12% to 32%) of the area. Since the area AR1 is provided so as to extend in the first direction, the display body DS2 is The length of the first region AR1 is about 22% (e.g., 12% to 32%) of the length of the first region AR1 in the In the first area AR1, the area in which the display DS2 is not displayed is If a block is detected, it will be displayed in the same black or grey colour as the surrounding area.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the luminous color of the display DS2 changes depending on the internal pressure of the tank 8. For example, in a region where the internal pressure of the tank 8 is sufficiently low, i.e., the first region AR1 In the left half area, the display DS2 is displayed in green, for example, and the inside of the tank 8 is As the pressure increases, that is, as the pressure moves to the right of the first area AR1, the display body DS2 , transition from green to red, and at the maximum pressure value, i.e., at the right end of the first area AR1, red will be displayed.

[0056] In the second area AR2 below the first area AR1, An axis extending parallel to the extension direction is displayed. This axis has graduations every 0.5 MPa. In addition, the OFF pressure value in high output mode is set to 400V according to the scale. The pressure value is displayed as .4 (MPa) and the ON pressure value of 3.8 (MPa).

[0057] Further, in the third area AR3 further below, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is displayed as a numerical value. As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, on the side of the third area AR3, The figure shows that the low-noise low-speed mode is selected. It shows.

[0058] As described above, the display area of ​​the display screen DS changes depending on the magnitude of the internal pressure of the tank 8. The display DS2, which changes the display area depending on the temperature, is displayed. The internal pressure of the tank 8 is displayed as a numerical value. It may be considered sufficient to display the image on the display screen DS having a limited size. The display DS2 is designed to change the display area depending on the internal pressure of the tank 8. It was decided to do so.

[0059] The inventors of the present application initially displayed only a numerical value indicating the internal pressure of the tank 8 on the display screen DS. However, the internal pressure of Tank 8 is important for pneumatic tools. However, simply displaying numerical values ​​does not necessarily provide useful information to users. For example, the internal pressure of Tank 8 is 3.3MPa. When the number "3.3" is displayed on the display screen DS, some users may see "3.3" (MP What does the value of a) mean for air compressor 1 (e.g., Will Tank 8 run out of compressed air soon? Or will there still be compressed air left in Tank 8? I noticed that there are cases where the user cannot grasp whether the equipment is working properly or not. Even if you look at the numbers displayed while working with tools, you can't decide what to do based on those numbers. I couldn't get it to adjust.

[0060] Therefore, the inventors of the present application, after various trials and errors, The idea was to display a display body DS2 that changes the display area depending on the If so, the display area will be different when the internal pressure of the tank 8 is low or high, so the user will By looking at the current display area, you can see whether the internal pressure of Tank 8 is low or not. In particular, in the case of Air Compressor 1, before starting Since the internal pressure of is low enough, start air compressor 1. As the internal pressure increases, This allows users to intuitively understand how the display area of ​​the display DS2 changes. do.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank 8 to the preset maximum pressure value is The configuration is adopted in which the area of ​​the display body DS2 is displayed relative to the area of ​​the first area AR1. For this reason, not only the information showing the internal pressure of the tank 8, but also the internal pressure relative to the maximum pressure value was This makes it possible to clearly communicate new information, such as the ratio of forces, to the worker. By observing the internal pressure, it is possible to grasp the ratio of the internal pressure to the maximum pressure value. For example, The amount of compressed air stored in the tank 8 of the air compressor 1 is determined by the type of work, etc. For example, the display DS2 before and after the work is The amount of reduction in the area of ​​the first region AR1 (the area corresponding to the maximum pressure value) is compared. Therefore, the worker must start the air compressor 1 to generate compressed air. This makes it possible to determine whether the work can continue without generating compressed air or not. In addition, even if compressed air is to be generated, is it sufficient to rotate the motor 4 at a low speed or at a high speed? It is also possible to provide workers with information to determine whether they need to The air compressor 1 generates compressed air by rotating the motor 4. The noise is so loud that it is necessary to provide information on the ratio of the internal pressure to the maximum pressure value. This causes more compressed air than necessary to be stored, reducing the operating efficiency and causing a problem with the air compressor 1. It prevents situations that increase the load and adversely affect the lifespan, as well as the generation of unnecessary noise, and This makes it possible to promote efficient use of the compressor 1.

[0062] In addition, in this embodiment, the luminous color of the display body DS2 is changed according to the internal pressure of the tank 8. Therefore, the worker can see the color of the light emitted by the display DS2. In particular, in this embodiment, the internal When the pressure is low, the indicator DS2 will emit green light, and when the internal pressure is high, the indicator D The color red is generally used to call attention to the situation. The color green is generally used to indicate a safe condition. In this embodiment, the internal pressure is high, so the load on the air compressor 1 is high. By displaying red when there is a condition that may worsen the product life of the device 1, Caution should be exercised, and high pressure is not necessarily a favorable condition for air compressor 1. This makes it possible to convey information that is not necessarily recognized by users.

[0063] In this embodiment, only the display body DS2 is displayed within a limited area of ​​the display screen DS. The internal pressure is displayed simultaneously with the DS2 display. By displaying the information on the air conditioner, it is possible to use the air compressor 1 more efficiently. For example, when working for a certain period of time, the area of ​​the display body DS2 before and after the work is reduced. Compare the amount of pressure with the area that corresponds to the maximum pressure value, and understand the amount of reduction in the internal pressure value. By this, the amount of internal pressure reduction caused by the operation for a given period of time and the maximum pressure value of that reduction are calculated. This makes it possible to accurately grasp the proportion of

[0064] In particular, when multiple pneumatic tools are using the same air compressor 1 at the same time, the accumulated Since it is difficult to predict the amount of compressed air lost, users should always use the high-output mode. However, when the configuration shown in this embodiment is adopted, By using this function, users can accurately adjust the amount of compressed air consumed, which varies depending on the type of work, etc. This will allow for a quick understanding of the situation, which will promote efficient use of air compressors. This becomes possible.

[0065] In addition, in the second region AR2 below the first region AR1, An axis extending in a specific direction is displayed, and the ON and OFF pressure values ​​are displayed along this axis. Therefore, the user can follow the change in the display area of ​​the display body DS2 to determine the driving speed of the motor 4. This makes it possible to obtain new information about the timing at which noise caused by movement occurs and stops. In other words, the worker is required to know how much time is left until the internal pressure drops to the ON pressure value during work. When the motor 4 is restarted, noise is generated, or when the motor 4 is running, How much time is left until the internal pressure reaches the OFF pressure value and motor 4 stops driving? This makes it easy to know when the noise will stop. The ON pressure value and the OFF pressure value may be displayed in the first area AR1.

[0066] Below the second area AR2, buttons for selecting an operation mode are displayed. The display shows buttons for selecting high output mode (high power mode) and quiet mode. In addition, if the user has set a custom mode, the A button to select the desired MIDI note (Tam 1) will be displayed.

[0067] In addition, in the upper left of the first area AR1, the voltage of the DC voltage converted by the converter circuit is The inventors of this application have been investigating the use environment (usage In some cases, including in certain countries, the power supply voltage is unstable. A voltage detection circuit is provided in compressor 1, and the power supply voltage information obtained from this is sent to the air compressor. The power supply voltage is acquired from the external terminal device 1 and displayed on the display screen DS of the external terminal device 20. The lower the pressure, the longer it takes to generate compressed air. The information can also be displayed on the display screen DS of the external terminal device 20. This will make it possible to promote the efficient use of 1.

[0068] [Custom Mode] The air compressor 1 according to this embodiment can be turned on or off depending on the type of work that the user has set. It has a custom mode that operates based on the ON pressure value and the ON pressure value. The OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value can be set using the display screen DS of the device 20. .

[0069] When the user touches the "Custom Settings" or "Settings" button shown in FIG. The DS transitions to a state where the user can set the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value. Specifically, the user selects the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value displayed in the second area AR2. Touch the arrow and slide the arrow along the scale while keeping your finger on the display screen DS. The OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value can be easily set by the user. FIG. 6B shows a schematic diagram of changing the OFF pressure value. ), a pop-up window appears indicating that the ON pressure has been set to 2.5 (MPa). can be.

[0070] The following describes the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device according to this embodiment, including the custom setting method. The method of using the device 20 will be explained.

[0071] FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining how to use the air compressor 1, the external terminal device 20, and the pneumatic tool. The user uses the compressed air taken out of the air compressor 1 for a pneumatic plant. A hose for supplying air to the air tool is connected to the air compressor 1 and the air tool. The terminal device 20 is used to pair with the air compressor 1, and the external terminal device 20 and the air conditioner The presser 1 is connected to the wireless LAN (step S71). For example, 10 m. The user must connect the external terminal to the air compressor 1 at a distance. The device 20 can be used to operate the air compressor 1 .

[0072] Then, the user operates the external terminal device 20 to operate the air compressor 1. Start the computer program and select the operating mode (e.g. high power mode) (step When the MPU 20A of the external terminal device 20 receives the input of the operation mode, Information indicating the operation mode and the OFF pressure value and ON pressure value determined corresponding to this operation mode The MPU 5A of the air compressor 1 transmits the signal to the communication circuit 20D. In this case, information for selecting an operation mode and an OFF pressure value and and information indicating the ON voltage value, and generates a control signal based on the information, and outputs the control signal to the inverter circuit 5C. The motor 4 is controlled by operating the inverter circuit 5C, etc. An AC current flows through the windings 16A, 16B, and 16C of the motor 4, generating a rotating magnetic field. The controller 4 starts driving (step S73).

[0073] When the motor 4 starts to operate, the internal pressure of the tank 8 increases. The PU 5A receives internal pressure information from the pressure sensor 12, load information and power supply voltage information from the detection circuit 5D. The information is periodically acquired and periodically transmitted to the external terminal device 20 (step S 74).

[0074] When the MPU 20A of the external terminal device 20 receives the internal pressure information, etc., In the first area AR1, a pressure sensor 12 detects the internal pressure of the tank 8 and outputs a pressure signal to the tank 8. The MPU 20A displays a display device DS2 that changes the display area depending on the display area. AR2 displays the OFF pressure value and ON pressure value set according to the selected operation mode. Furthermore, the MPU 20A stores the internal pressure of the tank 8 at that time in the third area AR3 as a numerical value. (Step S75). The MPU 20A receives the internal pressure information and the like. Therefore, the display area of ​​the display DS2 is updated every time the internal It changes dynamically depending on the magnitude of pressure.

[0075] Thereafter, steps S74 and S75 are periodically repeated. In the case of the display device DS2, the display area of ​​the display body DS2 gradually increases as the internal pressure increases. For example, the display area of ​​the display DS2 increases in the order of FIG. 5B, FIG. 5A, and FIG.

[0076] When the internal pressure reaches the OFF pressure value, the MPU5A of the air compressor 1 turns off the motor 4. The operation is stopped (step S76). Here, the second area AR2 contains the ON pressure value and the OFF pressure value. Since the pressure value is displayed, the user can determine the pressure by looking at the first area AR1 and the second area AR2. This makes it easy to know that the internal pressure is approaching the OFF pressure value before the motor 4 stops operating. Therefore, the user can immediately stop the motor 4 of the air compressor 1. The machine starts preparation for work from the start, and starts work smoothly as soon as motor 4 stops. This makes it possible.

[0077] When the user starts using the pneumatic tool (step S77), the compressed air stored in the tank 8 is As air is consumed, the internal pressure drops. When the internal pressure drops to the ON pressure, the MP U5A restarts the motor 4 and increases the internal pressure to the OFF pressure value (step S78). The motor 4 repeatedly starts and stops until the work is completed.

[0078] According to the above-described method of using the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20, the user It is possible to use pneumatic tools while displaying the internal pressure of the tank 8 on the external terminal device 20. At this time, the user can change the ON or OFF pressure depending on the work content, etc. You can try to change it.

[0079] For example, when a fastener was driven into a workpiece in high power mode, the ON pressure was However, if it is confirmed that the fastener can be driven into the workpiece, the worker shall Touch the custom setting button on the DS screen and change the ON pressure value to, for example, 3.8MPa. It is possible to set the pressure to 1.2MPa, which is lower than the conventional pressure setting. It was found that a lot of compressed air was not required, so there was no need to increase the internal pressure sufficiently. There are more cases than you might think, because it takes time to drive in each fastener. If it is found that not much compressed air is required, the operator may change the OFF pressure value. The operator can set the OFF pressure to, for example, 3.0 MPa by the same operation. It is Noh.

[0080] Input of OFF pressure value or ON pressure value (including OFF pressure value and ON pressure value) by the user When the input is received, the MPU 20A uses the communication circuit 20D to receive the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value. The value is transmitted to the air compressor 1 (step S79).

[0081] The MPU 5A of the air compressor 1 communicates the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value using the communication circuit 5E. When the inverter receives and acquires the signal (step S80), a control signal is generated based on the signal. By operating the circuit 5C, the internal pressure of the tank 8 changes from the OFF pressure value to the ON pressure value. The motor 4 is controlled so as to stay within the range (step S81).

[0082] Needless to say, the user can change the OFF pressure value or the ON pressure value again. The ON pressure is a value that can be set as the minimum pressure required to complete the task. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the type of fastener, the type of pneumatic tool, the type of workpiece, and the noise in the work environment. It is preferable that the OFF pressure value can be set flexibly according to the tolerance of the load. It is preferable that the order can be set.

[0083] According to the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 of this embodiment, a user can It is possible to easily check the internal pressure fluctuation while performing the above operation. In the lower second area AR2, an axis extending in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the first area AR1 is displayed. While referring to this axis, the finger is moved in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the first area AR1. This makes it easy to set the OFF and ON pressure values, so It is possible to set the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value relatively based on the pressure. For example, is it better to set the ON pressure higher than the current internal pressure, or is it better to set it lower? In particular, the first area A R1 is set to have a length of at least half the width of the display screen DS. By extending the pressure in the opposite direction, the user can easily set the OFF and ON pressure values. It becomes possible.

[0084] In addition, after the appropriate OFF and ON pressure values ​​are determined based on the specified work content, etc., Using the end device 20, the OFF pressure value and the ON pressure value are set to one of the operation modes of the custom mode. It is possible to register as The air compressor 1 records its OFF pressure value and ON pressure value in the memory element of the MPU 5A. It is possible to save the settings for future use or to share them with other users. If the same work is repeated over several days, the OFF pressure value recorded in the memory element By performing work based on the ON pressure value, work can be carried out efficiently. In addition, even if the type of fastener and the type of pneumatic tool are the same, the air compressor 1 can be used It is also possible to set different OFF and ON pressure values ​​depending on the number of pneumatic tools to be used. It becomes.

[0085] As described above, the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 according to this embodiment This makes it possible to promote effective use of the air compressor 1.

[0086] [Variations] The following describes modified examples of the air compressor 1 and the external terminal device 20 according to the first embodiment. In addition, the same or similar configurations or functions are not included in the modified examples and other embodiments. In the following, the same or similar reference numerals are used to denote parts that will be understood by those skilled in the art to have the same or similar features. Omit or simplify necessary explanations.

[0087] In the first embodiment, the indicator DS2 displays the area with low internal pressure in green, Areas with high pressure are displayed in red, but this is not limited to this. For example, the entire display body DS2 may be displayed in the same color depending on the internal pressure. For example, the entire display body may be changed depending on whether the internal pressure of the tank 8 is low, medium, or high. , may be displayed in green, yellow, and red, respectively.

[0088] Also, as shown in FIG. 8A, the display DS2 may be divided into multiple parts. For example, if you divide it into three parts, only one part will be displayed at low pressure. When the pressure is high, three parts may be displayed. The height of the part displayed at high pressure is set to be larger than the height of the part displayed at low pressure. You can also display the part that is displayed when the pressure is high in red, and the part that is displayed when the pressure is low in red. The color of the part may be different, for example, displayed in green.

[0089] The first region does not have to extend linearly. For example, the first region may extend in an L-shape. For example, a first partial region extending in the first direction and a second partial region extending in the first direction may be provided. and a second direction end portion of the first partial region is connected to a first direction end portion of the first partial region. The first region may be provided so as to have a second partial region corresponding to the first direction. For the sum of the length of the first subregion in the direction and the length of the second subregion in the second direction, It may have a length corresponding to the ratio of the internal pressure to the pressure value.

[0090] In addition to the internal pressure, the display also shows the load information (current consumption) or the compressor temperature. In the latter case, a temperature sensor may be provided in the compressor. and configured to transmit information indicating the compressor temperature to an external terminal using a communication circuit 5E. Specifically, the temperature of the motor winding 16A and the temperature of the The temperature in the vicinity of the converter circuit 5B or the inverter circuit 5C is set as the compressor temperature. Alternatively, a detection means capable of measuring the outside air temperature may be provided, and the compressor may be configured to detect the outside air temperature. The temperature difference between the sensor temperature and the sensor temperature may be transmitted as information.

[0091] Furthermore, the first area AR1 may be displayed not only at the top of the display screen DS, but also at the center or bottom. good. In addition, the first area AR1 has a maximum pressure value set according to the operation mode at the right end. For example, the maximum pressure value (OFF pressure value) of the operating model may be set to 3.0 MPa. When the high power mode is selected, 3.0 MPa is the right end of the first area AR1, and is selected, 4.4 MPa becomes the right end of the first region AR1.

[0092] Alternatively, regardless of the operation mode, the internal pressure of the tank 8 is set to the maximum value (in this embodiment). In the figure, the region is set so that the pressure (4.4 MPa) is at the right end (without changing the scale). A section showing the maximum pressure value may be displayed within the area. Display screen showing the separator BR that appears when 3.8MPa is set as the pressure value This is a partially enlarged view of the DS.

[0093] In addition to the maximum pressure value, the ratio of the internal pressure of the tank 8 to a specified pressure value is also used. By varying the light emitting area within a given region, the internal pressure for a given pressure value can be A configuration may be adopted in which a ratio is displayed.

[0094] Also, depending on the update frequency (cycle) of the display, the display may not be displayed smoothly. In such a case, the interpolated pressure information acquisition unit 20A1 of the MPU 20A periodically acquires The display unit 20B acquires the interpolated pressure information that interpolates the internal pressure information. The display has a different light emitting area based on the internal pressure information of the tank 8 acquired by the communication unit. and between these displays, a display with a different light emitting area is performed based on the interpolated pressure information. By adopting such a configuration, the display body can be displayed smoothly. It becomes possible to do this.

[0095] In addition, within the scope that a person skilled in the art can reasonably consider, air compressors, external terminal devices The order of steps performed in the method of using the pneumatic tool may be changed. For example, after selecting an operation mode in the external terminal device 20 (step S72), Alternatively, the device may be wirelessly connected to the compressor (step S71).

[0096] In addition, the display device 20 is wirelessly connected to the air compressor 1. Instead of displaying the above, the main body of the air compressor 1 may be provided with a similar configuration. In this case, the air compressor 1 is provided with an MPU 20A, an operating unit 20C, and a communication circuit 20D. In addition to providing a corresponding configuration, the display device of the operation panel 6 may be provided with a display screen DS. In addition, the MPU 20A and the communication circuit 20D are the same as the MPU 5A and the communication circuit 5E. A hardware configuration may also be used.

[0097] [Second embodiment] Each pneumatic tool has its own appropriate operating pressure value (including OFF pressure value and ON pressure value). In the present embodiment, information including a working pressure value (hereinafter, " The pressure sensor is provided with a display screen DS capable of acquiring the pressure information (hereinafter referred to as "used pressure value information") and displaying the used pressure value. FIG. 9 shows an air compressor using such an external terminal device. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using the pneumatic tool, the external terminal device, and the pneumatic tool.

[0098] The user must use a heater to supply compressed air taken from the air compressor to the pneumatic tool. The power supply is connected to an air compressor and pneumatic tools, and the air compressor is operated using an external terminal device. Pair with the air compressor and wirelessly connect the external terminal device to the air compressor ( Step S91).

[0099] Next, the external terminal device acquires the identification information and the operating pressure value information of the pneumatic tool from the pneumatic tool. Specifically, for example, a two-dimensional bar code is attached to the pneumatic tool. The two-dimensional barcode is then captured by an imaging device of the external terminal device. It is possible to allow the terminal device to obtain identification information and operating pressure value information. The identification information and the pressure value information may be included in the two-dimensional barcode. and extracting the identification information and operating pressure value information from the website. Alternatively, the two-dimensional barcode may include identification information of the pneumatic tool. The external terminal device acquires the identification information of the pneumatic tool, and the identification information is stored in the memory element of the MPU. The operating pressure value information corresponding to the selected pneumatic tool may be acquired.

[0100] The external terminal device displays the number of fasteners that can be driven by the pneumatic tool together with the operating pressure value information. For example, the number of fasteners that can be driven may be calculated based on a predetermined pressure value. The minimum pressure value at which the pneumatic tool can be reasonably used is the ON pressure value. Alternatively, the information may be information indicating the number of fasteners that can be driven using the tool. Information showing the amount of compressed air consumed when driving a specified number of fasteners using an air tool Alternatively, the information may be based on the amount of pressure fluctuation caused by connecting a pneumatic tool to the hose. Based on this information and the internal pressure information, the MPU Based on this, it is possible to obtain information indicating the number of possible strokes.

[0101] Steps S93 to S95 are the same as steps S73 to S75, respectively. Therefore, the explanation will be omitted.

[0102] The MPU displays information such as the number of fasteners that can be driven together with internal pressure information. The surface DS is displayed (step S96). FIG. 10A shows the surface DS when the internal pressure is 3.0 MPa. FIG. 10B shows an example of the display screen DS when the internal pressure is 4.4 MPa. Here is an example.

[0103] As shown in these drawings, the second area AR2 includes information on the operating pressure value, such as a pneumatic tool The OFF pressure value (4.4MPa) and ON pressure value (1.2MPa) set according to the In addition, the fourth area AR4 displays the identification information of the pneumatic tool. 5 indicates the number of fasteners that can be driven. As shown in these drawings, 3.0 At 4 MPa, the tool can drive 50 fasteners, and At .4MPa, the tool can drive 90 fasteners. .

[0104] As described above, according to the air compressor and the external terminal device of the present embodiment, The display screen DS of the terminal device displays the internal pressure information of the tank 8 and the information obtained from the pneumatic tool. The nailer will display the number of fasteners it can drive, allowing users to work more efficiently. This makes it possible to proceed with work more smoothly.

[0105] In addition, the operator can grasp the operating pressure value information of the pneumatic tool and can check whether the current internal pressure is appropriate for the operating pressure of the pneumatic tool. Therefore, it is possible to grasp whether the operating pressure is satisfied or not. When a large number of fasteners are to be driven, the operator must use a timing controller that exceeds the operating pressure of the pneumatic tool. This allows the operator to start work quickly by simply pressing the

[0106] In addition to the number of fasteners the nailer can drive, information showing the amount of work is displayed. For example, the remaining number of minutes of operation can be calculated based on the amount of internal pressure reduction and the operation time. Alternatively, information indicating whether the

[0107] Furthermore, the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, Some components in one embodiment may be combined with other components within the scope of ordinary skill in the art. In addition, some components in one embodiment may be added to other embodiments. They can be substituted for corresponding components in the embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1. Air Compressor 2 Tank section 3. Compression mechanism 4 Motor 5. Control section 5A MPU 5B Converter Circuit 5C inverter circuit 5D Detection Circuit 5E Communication Circuit 6 Operation Panel 8. Tank 9 Compressed air outlet 9A High pressure outlet 9B Low pressure outlet 10A, 10B Pressure reducing valve 12 Pressure Sensor 14 Connecting pipe 16 Stator 16A, 16B, 16C Windings 17 Rotor 20 External terminal device 20A MPU 20A1 Interpolated pressure information acquisition unit 20B Display section 20C Control unit 20D Communication Circuit AC alternating current power supply DS display screen DS2 display

Claims

1. A motor; a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air; A control unit for controlling the motor; a tank for storing compressed air generated by the compression mechanism; A pressure acquisition unit for acquiring an internal pressure of the tank; a voltage detection circuit for detecting a power supply voltage supplied to the motor; An air compressor comprising: A control unit for controlling the air compressor, the control unit is configured to transmit information for displaying, within a predetermined area of ​​a display screen of a display device provided in a compressor body of the air compressor or an external terminal device provided to be able to communicate with the air compressor, information on the power supply acquired by the voltage detection circuit and information indicating the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit, An air compressor characterized in that the information about the power supply is displayed in such a way that the display form, which is any one of the display area, shape, or color, changes depending on the voltage of the power supply, and at least one of the information about the power supply or the information indicating the internal pressure is displayed in such a way that the area of ​​the display area changes depending on the voltage of the power supply or the magnitude of the internal pressure.

2. the air compressor has a plurality of operating modes capable of operating at different internal pressures; The control unit is configured to obtain information for selecting the operation mode, The air compressor according to claim 1, configured to display, in different areas of the display screen, buttons for selecting the operating mode, information indicating the operating mode, and information indicating a connection status between the external terminal device and the air compressor.

3. An external terminal device capable of wireless communication with an air compressor including: a motor; a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air; a control unit for controlling the motor; a voltage detection circuit for detecting a power supply voltage supplied to the motor; a tank for storing the compressed air generated by the compression mechanism; and a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring an internal pressure of the tank, a communication unit for receiving information from the air compressor for displaying information on the power supply acquired by the voltage detection circuit and information indicating the internal pressure of the tank acquired by the pressure acquisition unit; An external terminal device comprising: a display unit that displays information about the power source and information about the internal pressure based on the information acquired by the communication unit, and at least one of the information about the power source or the information indicating the internal pressure is displayed in such a way that the area of ​​the display area changes depending on the voltage of the power source or the magnitude of the internal pressure.

4. 4. The external terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the information about the power source displayed on the display unit changes its display form depending on the voltage of the power source.

5. The external terminal device according to claim 4 , wherein the display form is any one of a display area, a shape, and a color.

6. the air compressor has a plurality of operating modes capable of operating at different internal pressures; The external terminal device according to claim 5 , wherein the operation mode is selectable.

7. A computer program for an external terminal device capable of wireless communication with an air compressor including: a motor; a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air; a control unit for controlling the motor; a voltage detection circuit for detecting a power supply voltage supplied to the motor; a tank for storing the compressed air generated by the compression mechanism; and a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring an internal pressure of the tank, A computer program characterized by causing an external terminal device having a display screen and a computer to display power supply information and internal pressure information acquired by the voltage detection circuit within a specified area of ​​the display screen, and displaying at least one of the power supply information or the information indicating the internal pressure in such a way that the area of ​​the display area changes depending on the magnitude of the power supply voltage or the internal pressure.

8. an air compressor comprising: a motor; a compression mechanism driven by the motor to generate compressed air; a control unit for controlling the motor; a voltage detection circuit for detecting a power supply voltage supplied to the motor; a tank for storing the compressed air generated by the compression mechanism; and a pressure acquisition unit for acquiring an internal pressure of the tank; An external terminal device capable of wireless communication with the air compressor, a communication unit for receiving information on the power supply and the internal pressure acquired by the voltage detection circuit from the air compressor; an external terminal device including a display unit that displays information about the power source based on the information acquired by the communication unit, and at least one of the information about the power source and the information indicating the internal pressure is displayed in such a manner that an area of ​​a display region changes depending on a voltage of the power source or a magnitude of the internal pressure; A system comprising:

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