Power supply equipment

Abstract

To provide a power supply facility for supplying power in a contactless manner capable of appropriately detecting heat at or around a power supply line while enabling a thermo-sensitive line be installed in a simple manner.SOLUTION: A power supply facility comprises: a power supply line that is arranged along a movement passage of a moving body and supplies power to the moving body in a contactless manner; and a thermo-sensitive line 3 arranged along the movement passage of the moving body. The power supply line comprises: a first electric wire part; a second electric wire part; and a connector 8 that connects the first electric wire part with the second electric wire part. The connector 8 comprises: a conductive connection pair 9 for electrically connecting the first electric wire part with the second electric wire part; and an insulation cover 10 constituted of an insulation material so as to cover the conductive connection pair 9. The insulation cover 10 is provided with a recessed groove 11 extending along an extension direction of the power supply line. Therein, the thermo-sensitive line 3 is arranged in the recessed groove 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply facility including a power supply line arranged along a moving path of a moving body to supply power to the moving body in a non-contact manner, and a heat-sensitive wire arranged along the moving path together with the power supply line. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-178800 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology relating to a power supply facility. In the following description of the background art, the reference numerals in parentheses refer to those in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The power supply equipment of Patent Document 1 is arranged along the conveyance path of a moving body (conveyor 1) and includes a power supply line that supplies power to the moving body in a non-contact manner, and a terminal block (27) to which the power supply line is connected. Here, the power supply line is cut to a predetermined length and is composed of multiple electric wire portions (modular power supply lines 24) with connection terminals (25) provided at both ends. The multiple electric wire portions (modular power supply lines 24) are connected to each other via the terminal block (27). The terminal block (27) is provided with grooves (28) along the extension direction of the electric wire portions. The connection terminals (25) are fitted into the grooves (28), so that the multiple electric wire portions are connected to each other via the terminal block (27). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-178800 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the power supply equipment described above, a heat-sensitive wire for detecting abnormal heat generation may be provided along the power supply line. To properly detect abnormal heat generation in the power supply line or its surroundings using such a heat-sensitive wire, it is desirable for the heat-sensitive wire to be placed in contact with the electric wire portion or the terminal block. To place the heat-sensitive wire in contact with the terminal block, for example, a method of tying the heat-sensitive wire to the terminal block using a cable tie may be considered. However, this method requires the operator to not only connect the electric wire portion to the terminal block but also wrap the cable tie around the heat-sensitive wire and the terminal block, which can increase the operator's workload. Furthermore, because the heat-sensitive wire is simply tied to the terminal block using a cable tie, the relative positions of the heat-sensitive wire and the terminal block are likely to vary, making it difficult to properly detect heat generation in the terminal block or its surroundings.

[0006] Therefore, in a power supply facility that supplies power in a contactless manner, it is desirable to provide a power supply facility that can easily and appropriately detect heat generation in the power supply line and its surroundings while facilitating the installation of a heat-sensing wire. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A power supply facility according to the present disclosure includes a power supply line arranged along a movement path of a moving body to supply power to the moving body in a non-contact manner, and a heat-sensitive wire arranged along the movement path together with the power supply line, the power supply line includes a first electric wire portion, a second electric wire portion, and a connector that connects the first electric wire portion and the second electric wire portion, the connector includes a conductive connection pair that electrically connects the first electric wire portion and the second electric wire portion, and an insulating cover made of an insulating material so as to cover the conductive connection pair, the insulating cover has a recessed groove extending along the extension direction of the power supply line, The heat-sensitive wire is disposed in the recess.

[0008] According to this configuration, the first and second electric wire portions of the power supply line are connected by a connector, and the connector includes an insulating cover made of an insulating material to cover the conductive connection pair. This facilitates the work of connecting the first and second electric wire portions, and the connection portion between the first and second electric wire portions can be covered with the insulating cover made of an insulating material. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the first and second electric wire portions of the power supply line are connected via a terminal block or the like, this configuration simplifies the installation of the power supply line and reduces the exposure of the current-carrying portion to the outside after installation, thereby improving safety. In addition, according to this configuration, the groove of the insulating cover is formed to extend along the extension direction of the power supply line, so that by placing the heat-sensitive wire in the groove, the heat-sensitive wire can be placed along the power supply line, which makes it easy to simplify the installation work of the heat-sensitive wire. Furthermore, with this configuration, the heat-sensitive wire is placed in a groove provided in the insulating cover, which reduces variation in the positional relationship between the heat-sensitive wire and the connector compared to when the heat-sensitive wire is placed along the outer surface of the insulating cover, and makes it easier to place the heat-sensitive wire close to the conductive connection pair of the connector, thereby making it easier to properly detect heat generation in the conductive connection pair. Thus, according to this configuration, in a power supply facility that supplies power contactlessly, it is possible to facilitate the installation of a heat-sensitive wire and to easily and appropriately detect heat generation in the power supply line and its surroundings.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the power supply installation will become apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which are given with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] Overall plan view of an article transport facility equipped with a power supply facility [Figure 2] Front view of a moving object [Figure 3] Side cross-sectional view of the connector [Figure 4] Front cross-sectional view of the connector (IV-IV cross-section in Figure 3) [Figure 5] 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment; [Figure 6] 6 is a front cross-sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment (a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5); [Figure 7] 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment; [Figure 9] 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment; [Figure 10] 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the power supply equipment will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a form in which power is supplied to an article transport vehicle in an article transport facility.

[0012] 1 and 2, a moving body 5, which is an article transport vehicle in article transport facility 200, travels on traveling rails 52 arranged along a travel path 51, which is a travel route. As shown in FIG. 1, power supply facility 1 includes a power feeder 2 arranged along the travel path 51 of moving body 5 to supply power to moving body 5 in a contactless manner, and a heat-sensitive wire 3 arranged along the travel path 51 together with power feeder 2.

[0013] 2, for example, the moving body 5 includes a traveling section 59 that travels along a moving path 51 while being guided by a pair of traveling rails 52 that are suspended from the ceiling, a transport vehicle main body 53 that is positioned below the traveling rails 52 and suspended from the traveling section 59, and a power receiving device 40 that receives driving power in a non-contact manner from a power supply line 2 that is laid along the moving path 51. The transport vehicle main body 53 includes an article support section (not shown) that is provided on the transport vehicle main body 53 so as to be able to rise and fall and that supports an article in a suspended state. Articles to be transported by the moving body 5 include, for example, FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods) that store semiconductor substrates, glass substrates that are used as materials for displays, etc.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2, the traveling unit 59 is provided with a pair of traveling wheels 55 that are rotationally driven by an electric drive motor 54. The traveling wheels 55 roll on traveling surfaces formed by the upper surfaces of the traveling rails 52. The traveling unit 59 is also provided with a pair of guide wheels 56 that freely rotate around an axis along the vertical direction (around the vertical axis) and abut against the inner surfaces of the pair of traveling rails 52. The traveling unit 59 is also configured with a driving motor 54 for traveling and a drive circuit therefor, and causes the movable body 5 to travel along the traveling rails 52. The transport vehicle main body 53 is provided with an actuator that raises and lowers the article support unit, an actuator that drives the gripping unit that grips the article, and a drive circuit therefor.

[0015] Electric power for these drive motors 54, various actuators, and drive circuits that drive them is supplied to the power receiving device 40 in a contactless manner from the power feeder 2. In this embodiment, the power feeder 2 that supplies drive power to the moving body 5 via the power receiving device 40 is arranged on both sides of the power receiving device 40 in a path width direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the "path width direction") that is along a horizontal plane and perpendicular to the direction along the movement path 51. Here, the power feeder 2 is arranged along the movement path 51 of the moving body 5, and therefore the extension direction of the power feeder 2 and the direction along the movement path 51 are the same direction.

[0016] In this embodiment, the power receiving device 40 supplies driving power to the mobile object 5 using a wireless power supply technology known as HID (High Efficiency Inductive Power Distribution Technology). Specifically, a high-frequency current is passed through the power supply line 2, which is an induction line, to generate a magnetic field around the power supply line 2. The power receiving device 40 is configured to include a pickup coil 40a and a magnetic core, and the pickup coil 40a is induced by electromagnetic induction from the magnetic field. The induced AC power is converted to DC by a power receiving circuit (not shown) including a rectifier circuit such as a full-wave rectifier circuit and a smoothing capacitor, and is then supplied to the actuator and driving circuit.

[0017] In this specification, an article transport vehicle, a so-called overhead transport vehicle, has been exemplified as the moving body 5, but it goes without saying that the moving body 5 may also be an article transport vehicle that travels on the ground, or may be a traveling cart that travels along a travel path formed corresponding to each level of an article storage shelf, or a traveling cart of a stacker crane. The moving body 5 may be in any form as long as it operates by receiving power from a power supply line 2 arranged along the travel path 51. Of course, the moving body 5 is not limited to an article transport vehicle.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1 , the heat-sensitive wire 3 is disposed throughout the power feeder 2 in the power supply equipment 1. It is configured to detect abnormal heat generation in the power feeder 2 and its surroundings. The heat-sensitive wire 3 includes a pair of conductors (not shown) covered with an insulator that softens at a preset temperature. One conductor is configured as a coated conductor wire, in which a core wire formed of a conductor is coated with an insulator. Two conductors are twisted together to form a twisted pair, which is then further coated with a coating material to form the heat-sensitive wire 3 including the pair of conductors. When the insulator of the pair of conductors softens, the core wires formed of the conductors come into contact with each other and short-circuit. Even if the insulator softens, the heat-sensitive wire 3 including the pair of conductors is covered with a coating material, preventing the core wire from being exposed to the outside. It is preferable that such a heat-sensitive wire 3 be disposed in contact with the power feeder 2. Although not shown, the heat-sensitive wires 3 are disposed on both outer sides of the pair of power feeders 2 disposed on both sides of the power receiving device 40 in the path width direction. The covering material of the heat-sensitive wire 3 is in contact with the insulating covering of the power supply wire 2.

[0019] Here, when the scale of the article conveying facility 200 is large, the scale of the power supply facility 1 will naturally also be large, and one or more power feed lines 2 in which multiple electric wire portions are interconnected may be used. In such cases, the multiple electric wire portions are electrically connected to each other via a connector 8 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 4) or a terminal block (not shown). The connector 8 or terminal block may also be used when connecting the electric wire portions to wiring in a control panel or the like. Below, an embodiment in which the connector 8 is used in the power supply facility 1 will be described.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3 , the power feeder 2 includes a first electric wire portion 6, a second electric wire portion 7, and a connector 8 that connects the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7. In this embodiment, the power feeder 2 is divided into multiple electric wire portions, and each electric wire portion is connected via a connector 8. Here, a configuration in which the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7, among the multiple electric wire portions that make up one power feeder 2, are connected via the connector 8 will be described. Note that each electric wire portion has the same structure, and naturally, the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 also have the same structure. Note that the power feeder 2 may be divided into more than two electric wire portions as described above, or may be divided into two electric wire portions. Here, the electric wire portions (the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7) include a conductor wire (not shown) through which an AC current flows and an insulating coating that covers the conductor wire. In this embodiment, the conductor wire is an induction wire that supplies power without contact.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 , the connector 8 includes a conductive connection pair 9 that electrically connects the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7, and an insulating cover 10 made of an insulating material to cover the conductive connection pair 9. In this embodiment, the insulating cover 10 is arranged to cover the entire connection area between the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 (i.e., the conductive connection pair 9, the connection portion between the first electric wire portion 6 and the conductive connection pair 9, and the connection portion between the second electric wire portion 7 and the conductive connection pair 9) when the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 are connected via the conductive connection pair 9. In this example, an elastic member made of an insulating material is used as the insulating cover 10. The use of an elastic member facilitates the attachment of the conductive connection pair 9 and the heat-sensitive wire 3 (described later) to the insulating cover 10.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3 , the conductive connection pair 9 includes a first connecting portion 14 attached to an end of the first electric wire portion 6 and a second connecting portion 15 attached to an end of the second electric wire portion 7. The first connecting portion 14 and the second connecting portion 15 are each a conductor portion of the connector 8, and the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 are electrically connected by connection between the first connecting portion 14 and the second connecting portion 15. The first connecting portion 14 and the second connecting portion 15 are configured to be able to fit together. The first connecting portion 14 includes a first main portion 14b fixed to the first electric wire portion 6 and a fitting portion 14a protruding outward from the first main portion 14b in the extension direction of the first electric wire portion 6. The second connecting portion 15 includes a second main portion 15b fixed to the second electric wire portion 7 and a fitted portion 15a. Then, the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 are connected by fitting the fitting portion 14a into the fitted portion 15a. In the example of FIG. 3, the fitting portion 14a is formed in a convex shape. The fitted portion 15a is formed in a concave shape that is recessed inward in the extension direction of the second electric wire portion 7 from the surface of the second main body portion 15b (the surface facing the first connecting portion 14). Then, the fitting portion 14a is fitted into the concave shape of the fitted portion 15a, so that the first connecting portion 14 and the second connecting portion 15 are fitted together.

[0023] 3 and 4, the insulating cover 10 has an arrangement space Q in which the conductive connection pairs 9 are arranged. The arrangement space Q is an accommodating space that penetrates the insulating cover 10 in the extension direction of the power feeder 2. The conductive connection pairs 9 are accommodated in this arrangement space Q. In the example of FIG. 2, in addition to the conductive connection pairs 9 (first connection portion 14, second connection portion 15), the arrangement space Q also accommodates a part of the power feeder 2 (first electric wire portion 6, second electric wire portion 7) connected to the conductive connection pairs 9.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the insulating cover 10 includes a first cover portion 10a that covers the first connection portion 14 and a second cover portion 10b that covers the second connection portion 15. The first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b each have the above-mentioned arrangement space Q. The first cover portion 10a accommodates the first electric wire portion 6 in its arrangement space Q, thereby covering the first connection portion 14. The second cover portion 10b accommodates the second electric wire portion 7 in its arrangement space Q, thereby covering the second connection portion 15. In this example, the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b have the same structure. The arrangement space Q is formed to be smaller than the lengths of the conductive connection pairs 9 (the first connection portion 14, the second connection portion 15) in the up-down direction and the path width direction. As described above, the insulating cover 10 is an elastic member. Therefore, the first connection portion 14 is pushed into the first cover portion 10a from the outside thereof, and is accommodated in the arrangement space Q. Similarly, the second connection portion 15 is pushed into the second cover portion 10b from the outside thereof, and is accommodated in the arrangement space Q. As a result, the first connection portion 14 is fixed to the first cover portion 10a, and the second connection portion 15 is fixed to the second cover portion 10b.

[0025] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the insulating cover 10 has a groove 11 extending in the direction in which the power feeder 2 extends, and the heat-sensitive wire 3 is disposed in the groove 11. In this embodiment, the groove 11 is formed over the entire area of ​​the insulating cover 10 along the direction in which the power feeder 2 extends. In this example, as shown in Fig. 4, the heat-sensitive wire 3 is disposed in the groove 11 while being in contact with the conductive connection pair 9. In this way, even at the connection portion between the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7, the heat-sensitive wire 3 is disposed along the power feeder 2, so that abnormal heat generation in this connection portion (i.e., the connector 8 and its surroundings) can be appropriately detected.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the groove 11 includes an opening 12 that opens to the outer peripheral surface of the insulating cover 10, and a storage section 13 that is located closer to the conductive connection pair 9 than the opening 12 and that stores the heat-sensitive wire 3. In this example, the opening 12 opens to the surface facing upward of the insulating cover 10. The storage section 13 is located inside the insulating cover 10, between the opening 12 and the arrangement space Q. The storage section 13 is also formed continuously with the opening 12. The heat-sensitive wire 3 is inserted into the opening 12 and placed in the storage section 13. In the illustrated example, the opening 12 has a passage 12a that connects the opening portion of the opening 12 to the storage section 13. The storage section 13 is formed wider than the opening 12. In this embodiment, the opening width S of the opening 12 is smaller than the diameter R of the heat-sensitive wire 3. Therefore, the heat-sensitive wire 3 stored in the storage section 13 can be prevented from coming off the insulating cover 10. Here, the opening width S is the dimension in the direction (i.e., the path width direction) perpendicular to the extension direction of the power supply line 2 (here, the extension direction of the recessed groove 11). In the illustrated example, the opening width S is the maximum dimension of the opening 12 in the path width direction. In short, the diameter R of the heat-sensitive wire 3 is formed larger than the maximum dimension of the opening 12 in the path width direction.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the groove 11 includes a first groove portion 11a formed in the first cover portion 10a and a second groove portion 11b formed in the second cover portion 10b. In this example, the first groove portion 11a and the second groove portion 11b have the same structure. That is, the first groove portion 11a and the second groove portion 11b each have the opening 12 and the accommodating portion 13 described above. The first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b are configured to fit together, and when the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b are fitted together, the first groove portion 11a and the second groove portion 11b are configured to be continuous along the extension direction of the power supply line 2. In this example, the first connection portion 14 and the second connection portion 15 are fitted together as described above, thereby bringing the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b into a fitted state. In the mated state, the opening 12 of the first groove 11a and the opening 12 of the second groove 11b are continuous, and the accommodating portion 13 of the first groove 11a and the accommodating portion 13 of the second groove 11b are continuous. In the illustrated example, the mating portion 14a and the mated portion 15a are each formed in a rectangular shape, which allows the mating portion 14a and the mated portion 15a to be positioned relative to each other. In the mated state, the first groove 11a and the second groove 11b are continuous along the extension direction of the power supply line 2. The shapes of the mating portion 14a and the mated portion 15a can be changed as appropriate, other than rectangular. As shown in FIG. 10 , an engagement mechanism 70 may be provided on the first cover 10a and the second cover 10b. 10 , the engagement mechanism 70 may include an engaged portion 72 and an engaging portion 71, and the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b may be fitted together by the engaged portion 72 engaging with the engaging portion 71. In the illustrated example, the engaged portion 72 is provided on the first cover portion 10a, and the engaging portion 71 is provided on the second cover portion 10b. Then, the tip portion of the engaging portion 71 is inserted into the through-hole of the engaged portion 72, so that the engaging portion 71 is locked to the engaged portion 72.

[0028] 3 and 4, the opening 12 is formed in each of the first groove portion 11a and the second groove portion 11b so that the dimension in the path width direction decreases toward the upper side. The accommodating portion 13 is formed to a size corresponding to the diameter R of the heat-sensitive wire 3. The dimension in the path width direction of the accommodating portion 13 is formed to be smaller than the dimension in the path width direction of the arrangement space Q. In addition, the accommodating portion 13 opens to the arrangement space Q side, so that the heat-sensitive wire 3 comes into contact with the conductive connection pair 9 (the first connection portion 14, the second connection portion 15) while being accommodated in the accommodating portion 13. Below, the procedure for connecting the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 and accommodating the heat-sensitive wire 3 in the insulating cover 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0029] First, the first electric wire portion 6, to which the first connection portion 14 and the first cover portion 10a are attached, is connected to the second electric wire portion 7, to which the second connection portion 15 and the second cover portion 10b are attached. Specifically, the fitting portion 14a of the first connection portion 14 is inserted into the fitted portion 15a of the second connection portion 15. Thereafter, the heat-sensitive wire 3 is inserted into the opening 12 of the insulating cover 10 and accommodated in the accommodation portion 13. Note that, although the connector 8 is installed so that the opening portion of the opening 12 faces upward in the example of FIG. 4, the connector 8 may also be installed so that the opening portion of the opening 12 faces sideways.

[0030] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the power supply equipment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 5 and 6). The following description of the power supply equipment 1 of this embodiment will focus on the differences from the first embodiment. Points that are not specifically mentioned are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used to omit detailed description thereof.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , in this embodiment, the insulating cover 10 has an arrangement space Q in which the conductive connection pair 9 is arranged, and the recessed groove 11 has an opening 12 that opens to the arrangement space Q side of the insulating cover 10, and an accommodation portion 13 that is arranged farther from the conductive connection pair 9 than the opening 12 and accommodates the heat-sensitive wire 3. In this example, the opening 12 is provided between the accommodation portion 13 and the arrangement space Q. The opening 12 is formed so that the dimension in the path width direction decreases toward the bottom. This opening 12 connects the accommodation portion 13 and the arrangement space Q. In this embodiment, when the conductive connection pair 9 is arranged in the arrangement space Q, the opening 12 is blocked by the conductive connection pair 9. The heat-sensitive wire 3 arranged in the accommodation portion 13 and the conductive connection pair 9 are in contact with each other. In the example shown in FIG. 6 , the vertical dimension of the arrangement space Q is set to correspond to the vertical dimension of the conductive connection pair 9 (here, the first main body portion 14b). Here, the vertical dimension of the arrangement space Q is set to be the same as the vertical dimension of the first main body portion 14b. Furthermore, although not shown, the vertical dimension of the arrangement space Q is also set to be the same as the vertical dimension of the second main body portion 15b. As a result, when the conductive connection pair 9 is placed in the arrangement space Q, the opening 12 is closed by the conductive connection pair 9. Below, the procedure for connecting the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 and storing the heat-sensitive wire 3 in the insulating cover 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0032] First, without the first connecting portion 14 and the second connecting portion 15 attached, the heat-sensitive wire 3 is attached to each of the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b. Specifically, the heat-sensitive wire 3 is inserted into the arrangement space Q of each of the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b, and the inserted heat-sensitive wire 3 is pushed into the accommodation portion 13 through the openings 12 of the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b to attach it. Thereafter, the first electric wire portion 6 with the first connecting portion 14 attached is attached to the first cover portion 10a, and the second electric wire portion 7 with the second connecting portion 15 attached is attached to the second cover portion 10b. Then, when the fitting portion 14a of the first connecting portion 14 is inserted into the fitted portion 15a of the second connecting portion 15, the first electric wire portion 6 and the second connecting portion 15 are connected.

[0033] Other Embodiments Next, other embodiments of the power supply equipment will be described.

[0034] (1) In the first embodiment, the connector 8 is described as having only one insulating cover 10 (first cover portion 10a, second cover portion 10b). However, this is not limiting. For example, the connector 8 may have multiple insulating covers 10. Such an example is shown in FIG. 7. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the connector 8 includes a second insulating cover 75 that covers the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b. By attaching the second insulating cover 75 to the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b when the first electric wire portion 6 and the second electric wire portion 7 are connected, the strength of the connector 8 itself can be improved. Note that the second insulating cover 75 may be divided to correspond to the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b, respectively.

[0035] (2) In the first embodiment, the opening 12 is formed so that the dimension in the path width direction decreases toward the top, and the heat-sensitive wire 3 accommodated in the accommodation section 13 comes into contact with the conductive connection pair 9 arranged in the arrangement space Q. However, without being limited to this example, the opening 12 does not have to be formed so that the dimension in the path width direction decreases toward the top, and the heat-sensitive wire 3 accommodated in the accommodation section 13 does not have to come into contact with the conductive connection pair 9 arranged in the arrangement space Q. Such an example is shown in FIG. 8. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the opening 12 is formed so that the dimension in the path width direction is the same overall. In this way, the dimension in the path width direction of the opening 12 can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the accommodation section 13 does not open to the arrangement space Q, and a wall is formed between the accommodation section 13 and the arrangement space Q. Therefore, the heat-sensitive wire 3 accommodated in the accommodation section 13 does not come into contact with the conductive connection pair 9.

[0036] (3) In the first embodiment, the opening width S of the opening 12 is smaller than the diameter R of the heat-sensitive wire 3, but this is not limiting. The opening width S of the opening 12 may be equal to or larger than the diameter R of the heat-sensitive wire 3. In this case, the periphery of the connector 8 may be bound with multiple binding bands to prevent the heat-sensitive wire 3 from falling out of the opening 12.

[0037] (4) In the second embodiment, the opening 12 is blocked by the conductive connection pair 9 when the conductive connection pair 9 is disposed in the arrangement space Q. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The opening 12 may not be blocked by the conductive connection pair 9 when the conductive connection pair 9 is disposed in the arrangement space Q. For example, a gap may be formed between the upper end of the conductive connection pair 9 and the opening 12 by making the vertical dimension of the arrangement space Q longer than the vertical dimension of the conductive connection pair 9.

[0038] (5) In the above embodiments, the insulating cover 10 includes a first cover portion 10a that covers the first connection portion 14 and a second cover portion 10b that covers the second connection portion 15. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the insulating cover 10 may be configured so as not to be divided into the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b. Such an example is shown in FIG. 9. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the dimension of the insulating cover 10 in the direction in which the power feeder 2 extends is set to a dimension that can accommodate both the first cover portion 10a and the second cover portion 10b. Then, the insulating cover 10 may be fixed to either the first connection portion 14 or the second connection portion 15, and the other connection portion (the first connection portion 14 or the second connection portion 15) may be attached to the insulating cover 10. In this way, both the first connection portion 14 and the second connection portion 15 are covered by a single insulating cover 10. Furthermore, the dimensions of the first cover part 10a and the second cover part 10b in the direction in which the power feeder 2 extends may be different from each other. Such an example is shown in FIG. 10. In the example of FIG. 10, the dimension of the first cover part 10a in the direction in which the power feeder 2 extends is shorter than the dimension of the second cover part 10b in the direction in which the power feeder 2 extends. Furthermore, the tip portion of the first connection part 14 protrudes relative to the first cover part 10a, and the tip portion of the second cover part 10b protrudes relative to the second connection part 15. In this way, the dimensions of the first cover part 10a and the second cover part 10b in the direction in which the power feeder 2 extends can be changed as appropriate.

[0039] (6) Note that the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments (including combinations of embodiments described as other embodiments) as long as no contradictions arise. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0040] [Summary of the above embodiment] The following provides an overview of the power supply facility described above.

[0041] A power supply facility according to the present disclosure includes a power supply line arranged along a movement path of a moving body to supply power to the moving body in a non-contact manner, and a heat-sensitive wire arranged along the movement path together with the power supply line, the power supply line includes a first electric wire portion, a second electric wire portion, and a connector that connects the first electric wire portion and the second electric wire portion, the connector includes a conductive connection pair that electrically connects the first electric wire portion and the second electric wire portion, and an insulating cover made of an insulating material so as to cover the conductive connection pair, the insulating cover has a recessed groove extending along the extension direction of the power supply line, The heat-sensitive wire is disposed in the recess.

[0042] According to this configuration, the first and second electric wire portions of the power supply line are connected by a connector, and the connector includes an insulating cover made of an insulating material to cover the conductive connection pair. This facilitates the work of connecting the first and second electric wire portions, and the connection portion between the first and second electric wire portions can be covered with the insulating cover made of an insulating material. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the first and second electric wire portions of the power supply line are connected via a terminal block or the like, this configuration simplifies the installation of the power supply line and reduces the exposure of the current-carrying portion to the outside after installation, thereby improving safety. In addition, according to this configuration, the groove of the insulating cover is formed to extend along the extension direction of the power supply line, so that by placing the heat-sensitive wire in the groove, the heat-sensitive wire can be placed along the power supply line, which makes it easy to simplify the installation work of the heat-sensitive wire. Furthermore, with this configuration, the heat-sensitive wire is placed in a groove provided in the insulating cover, which reduces variation in the positional relationship between the heat-sensitive wire and the connector compared to when the heat-sensitive wire is placed along the outer surface of the insulating cover, and makes it easier to place the heat-sensitive wire close to the conductive connection pair of the connector, thereby making it easier to properly detect heat generation in the conductive connection pair. Thus, according to this configuration, in a power supply facility that supplies power contactlessly, it is possible to facilitate the installation of a heat-sensitive wire and to easily and appropriately detect heat generation in the power supply line and its surroundings.

[0043] Here, the recessed groove includes an opening that opens to the outer peripheral surface of the insulating cover, and an accommodating portion that is disposed closer to the conductive connection pair than the opening and accommodates the heat-sensitive wire, It is preferable that the opening width of the opening is smaller than the diameter of the heat-sensitive wire.

[0044] According to this configuration, the heat-sensitive wire can be placed in the housing by inserting it into the groove through the opening from the outer periphery of the insulating cover. Furthermore, because the opening width is smaller than the diameter of the heat-sensitive wire, the heat-sensitive wire housed in the housing cannot easily fall out of the groove. This simplifies the installation process of the heat-sensitive wire.

[0045] The insulating cover also has an arrangement space in which the conductive connection pairs are arranged, the recessed groove includes an opening that opens to the arrangement space side of the insulating cover, and an accommodating portion that is disposed farther from the conductive connection pair than the opening and accommodates the heat-sensitive wire; It is preferable that the opening is closed by the conductive connection pair when the conductive connection pair is arranged in the arrangement space.

[0046] With this configuration, the heat-sensitive wire can be placed in the housing by fitting it into the groove through the opening in the insulating cover, and the conductive connection pair can be placed in the housing space of the insulating cover while the heat-sensitive wire is placed in the housing, preventing the heat-sensitive wire from coming out of the groove. This simplifies the installation process of the heat-sensitive wire.

[0047] The conductive connection pair includes a first connection portion attached to an end of the first electric wire portion and a second connection portion attached to an end of the second electric wire portion, the insulating cover includes a first cover portion that covers the first connection portion and a second cover portion that covers the second connection portion; The groove includes a first groove portion formed in the first cover portion and a second groove portion formed in the second cover portion, It is preferable that the first cover portion and the second cover portion are configured to fit together, and that when the first cover portion and the second cover portion are fitted together, the first groove portion and the second groove portion are configured to be continuous along the extension direction of the power supply line.

[0048] According to this configuration, by fitting the first cover part and the second cover part together, the first groove part and the second groove part are continuous along the extension direction of the power supply line, which makes it easy to arrange the heat-sensitive wire across the first groove part and the second groove part.

[0049] The power supply facility according to the present disclosure may have at least one of the above-described effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1: Power supply equipment 2:Power line 3: Heat sensitive wire 5: Moving object 6: First wire section 7: Second wire section 8: Connector 9: Conductive connection pair 10: Insulation cover 10a: First cover part 10b: Second cover part 11: Groove 11a: First groove part 11b: Second groove part 12: Opening 13: Storage section 14: First connection part 15: Second connection part 51: Travel route Q: Placement space S: Opening width

Claims

1. A power supply facility including a power supply line arranged along a moving path of a moving body to supply power to the moving body in a non-contact manner, and a heat-sensitive wire arranged along the moving path together with the power supply line, the power supply line includes a first electric wire portion, a second electric wire portion, and a connector that connects the first electric wire portion and the second electric wire portion, the connector includes a conductive connection pair that electrically connects the first electric wire portion and the second electric wire portion, and an insulating cover made of an insulating material so as to cover the conductive connection pair, the insulating cover has a recessed groove extending along the extension direction of the power supply line, The power supply equipment, wherein the heat-sensitive wire is disposed in the recessed groove.

2. the recessed groove includes an opening that opens to an outer peripheral surface of the insulating cover, and an accommodating portion that is disposed closer to the conductive connection pair than the opening and accommodates the heat-sensitive wire; The power supply facility according to claim 1 , wherein the opening has a width smaller than a diameter of the heat-sensitive wire.

3. the insulating cover has an arrangement space in which the conductive connection pair is arranged; the recessed groove includes an opening that opens to the arrangement space side of the insulating cover, and an accommodating portion that is disposed farther from the conductive connection pair than the opening and accommodates the heat-sensitive wire; The power supply facility according to claim 1 , wherein the opening is closed by the conductive connection pair when the conductive connection pair is arranged in the arrangement space.

4. the conductive connection pair includes a first connection portion attached to an end of the first electric wire portion and a second connection portion attached to an end of the second electric wire portion; the insulating cover includes a first cover portion that covers the first connection portion and a second cover portion that covers the second connection portion, The groove includes a first groove portion formed in the first cover portion and a second groove portion formed in the second cover portion, 4. The power supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the first cover portion and the second cover portion are configured to fit together, and when the first cover portion and the second cover portion are fitted together, the first groove portion and the second groove portion are configured to be continuous along the extension direction of the power supply line.

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