Actuator

Abstract

To provide an actuator that facilitates a specification change.SOLUTION: The actuator includes a motor unit that is provided with a motor and a motor driver circuit and an interface unit that is connected to the motor unit and is provided with an interface circuit. There are multiple types of the motor units and the interface units. The combination of the motor units and the interface units can be changed to facilitate a specification change.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuator, and more particularly to an actuator that is designed so that its specifications can be easily changed. [Background technology]

[0002] As a conventional actuator, there exists a linear actuator such as that described in Patent Document 1. The linear actuator described in Patent Document 1 moves a nut forward and backward by a screw driven and rotated by a motor, causing a rod-shaped end effector fixed to the nut to move linearly.

[0003] An encoder slit plate is attached to the rotating shaft of the motor, and the linear actuator has a motor control circuit equipped with a photocoupler that detects the rotation of the encoder slit plate, and a motor drive circuit equipped with a drive element that drives the motor.

[0004] In addition to this configuration, some actuators are equipped with an interface circuit for communicating with other devices such as a controller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-92811 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the above-mentioned conventional configuration has the following problems. For example, if you want to change the communication method, you need to change not only the interface circuit but also the motor drive circuit that communicates with the interface circuit, and it is not easy to change the specifications because the operation of the motor drive circuit with respect to the interface circuit differs depending on the type of interface circuit.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an actuator whose specifications can be easily changed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, the actuator according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a motor and a motor driver circuit. and a case in which the motor and the motor driver circuit are housed. a motor unit provided with the motor unit; Motor driver circuit and an interface unit provided with an interface circuit connected to the motor unit, and there are a plurality of types of the motor unit and the interface unit, The interface unit is detachable from the motor unit. The combination of the motor unit and the interface unit can be changed. The interface unit is also housed in the case of the motor unit. It is characterized by the above. Also, an actuator according to claim 2 is the actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the interface unit is provided with a controller for controlling the operation of the motor. Also, an actuator according to claim 3 is the actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that the controller performs two-point control. Also, an actuator according to claim 4 is the actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that the controller performs multipoint control. Furthermore, the actuator according to claim 5 is the actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that when the interface unit is connected to the motor unit, communication is performed, and the motor unit determines its own behavior by identifying the type of the interface unit connected, and the interface unit determines its own behavior by identifying the type of the motor unit connected. Furthermore, the actuator according to claim 6 is the actuator according to claim 5, characterized in that the communication format and connector between the interface unit and the motor unit are common regardless of the type of the interface unit. An actuator according to claim 7 is the actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the motor unit is provided with an encoder circuit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As described above, the actuator of claim 1 of the present invention comprises a motor unit having a motor and a motor driver circuit, and an interface unit connected to the motor unit and having an interface circuit. There are multiple types of motor units and interface units, and the combination of the motor unit and the interface unit can be changed, so specifications can be easily changed. Furthermore, according to the actuator of claim 2, in the actuator of claim 1, the interface unit is provided with a controller that controls the operation of the motor, so that the controller can be easily changed in accordance with changes to the interface unit. According to the actuator of claim 3, since the controller in the actuator of claim 2 performs two-point control, the interface unit can easily add a function of two-point control. According to the actuator of claim 4, since the controller in the actuator of claim 2 performs multipoint control, the interface unit can easily add a function of multipoint control. Furthermore, according to the actuator of claim 5, in the actuator of claim 1, when the interface unit is connected to the motor unit, communication is performed, and the motor unit determines its own behavior by identifying the type of the interface unit connected to it, and the interface unit determines its own behavior by identifying the type of the motor unit connected to it, so that the specifications can be easily changed without the user having to perform any setting operations. Furthermore, according to the actuator of claim 6, in the actuator of claim 5, the communication format and connector between the interface unit and the motor unit are common regardless of the type of the interface unit, so that the user can easily change the specifications without performing any setting operations. According to the actuator of claim 7, in the actuator of any one of claims 1 to 6, an encoder circuit is provided in the motor unit, so that highly accurate control can be performed. According to an actuator of claim 8, in the actuator of any one of claims 1 to 7, the interface unit is detachable from the motor unit, so that the specifications can be changed even more easily. According to the actuator of claim 9, since the interface unit is installed outside the motor unit in the actuator of claim 8, the specifications can be changed even more easily. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a schematic view of an actuator. [Figure 2]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram schematically showing a motor driver board and an interface board of an actuator. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram schematically showing a combination of a motor unit and an interface unit of an actuator. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a flowchart showing processing in a motor driver circuit. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a flowchart showing processing in an interface circuit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a schematic view of an actuator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator 1 is made up of an actuator main body 2, a motor unit 3, and an interface unit 5. The actuator main body 2 has a main body frame 6. The actuator main body 2 has a table 7. The table 7 is movably installed on the main body frame 6. In addition, the motor unit 3 has a motor case 9. The motor case 9 is installed behind the main body frame 6 (on the right side in FIG. 2).

[0012] The motor unit 3 has a servo motor 11. The servo motor 11 is housed inside the motor case 9. The actuator main body 2 has a screw shaft 13. The screw shaft 13 is rotatably installed inside the main body frame 6, and is driven by the servo motor 11. The actuator main body 2 has a nut 15. The nut 15 is threaded onto the screw shaft 13, and the table 7 is fixed to the nut 15. A screw-nut mechanism formed by the screw shaft 13 and the nut 15 allows the table 7 to reciprocate in the front-to-rear direction (left-to-right direction in FIG. 1).

[0013] The motor unit 3 includes an encoder board 21, a converter board 23, and a motor driver board 25. The encoder board 21, the converter board 23, and the motor driver board 25 are housed within the motor case 9, as shown in FIG. An encoder circuit 27 is mounted on the encoder board 21. An encoder magnet 29 is fixed to the output shaft 28 of the servo motor 11, and a magnetic sensor 31 is mounted on the encoder circuit 27 to detect the number of rotations of the encoder magnet 29. In addition, a connector 33 is mounted on the encoder board 21.

[0014] A converter circuit 35 is mounted on the converter board 23. The converter circuit 35 performs A / D conversion of the signal from the encoder circuit 27. In addition, a connector 37 and a connector 39 are mounted on the converter board 23. The encoder board 21 and the converter board 23 are connected by the connector 33 and the connector 37.

[0015] 2, a motor driver circuit 41 is mounted on the motor driver board 25. A motor control circuit 43 and a driver-side CPU 45 are mounted on the motor driver circuit 41. A connector 47 and a connector 49 are also mounted on the motor driver circuit 41. The converter board 23 and the motor driver board 25 are connected by the connector 39 and the connector 47.

[0016] A signal is sent from a CPU (not shown) of the converter circuit 35 to a driver-side CPU 45 of the motor driver circuit 41, and the servo motor 11 is controlled via the motor driver circuit 41 by a signal from the driver-side CPU 45 to rotate the screw shaft 13, thereby controlling the movement of the nut 15 and, ultimately, the table 7. In addition, the encoder circuit 27 detects the number of rotations of the encoder magnet 29, thereby enabling the converter circuit 35 to detect the position of the table 7.

[0017] The interface unit 5 has an interface board 51. An interface circuit 53 is mounted on the interface board 51. The interface circuit 53 of the interface unit 5 communicates with various field networks, and has an interface-side CPU 55 mounted on it. A connector 59, a communication connector 61, and a power connector 63 are mounted on the interface board 51. The interface unit 5 and the motor driver board 25 are connected by the connector 59 and the connector 49.

[0018] In addition, a control power supply generating circuit 57 is mounted on the interface board 51. A power supply (not shown) is connected to the power supply connector 63, and the control power supply generating circuit 57 converts power from the power supply (not shown) so that it can be supplied to the interface board 51, the motor driver board 25, the converter board 23, the encoder board 21, and the servo motor 11. Furthermore, a cable (not shown) is connected to the communication connector 61 . A controller circuit 65 is mounted on the interface board 51. The controller circuit 65 performs two-point control via the motor driver circuit 41 to move the table 7 between any two positions. The interface unit 5 is housed inside the motor case 9 .

[0019] 3, the interface unit 5 of the actuator 1 can be replaced with another type of interface unit 5'. The interface unit 5' is provided with a controller circuit 65'. The controller circuit 65' controls the table 7 at multiple points via the motor driver circuit 41. There are also other types of interface units (not shown) that use different communication methods and control methods. The interface unit 5' and the other type of interface unit (not shown) also have a connector that is the same as the connector 59. Furthermore, the communication format between the interface board 51 and the motor driver board 25 via the connector 59 is the same as the communication format between the interface unit 5' or the other type of interface unit (not shown) and the motor driver board 25. In other words, by replacing the interface unit 5 with the interface unit 5' or the other type of interface unit (not shown), the control method of the actuator 1 can be changed.

[0020] Furthermore, the interface units 5, 5' and other types of interface units (not shown) can be connected to a motor unit 3' of a type different from the motor unit 3 and to other types of motor units (not shown). The other type of motor unit 3' is equipped with, for example, a stepping motor 11' instead of the servo motor 11. The other type of motor unit 3' is also equipped with the same connector 49 as the motor unit 3, and the communication format is also the same. The same connector and communication format are used for the other type of motor unit (not shown). In addition to the actuator body 2, it is also possible to use an actuator body (not shown) in which a rod (not shown) is movably provided instead of the table 7.

[0021] The motor units 3, 3' and the other types of motor units (not shown) are adapted to perform connection processing with the interface units 5, 5' and the other types of interface units (not shown). As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, when the interface units 5, 5' or another type of interface unit (not shown) is connected to the motor driver board 25, an initialization process is first performed in step S1, and the process proceeds to the next step S2.

[0022] In step S2, communication with the interface units 5, 5' and other types of interface units (not shown) is performed, and the types of the interface units 5, 5' and other types of interface units (not shown) (hereinafter referred to as connected device types) are acquired. Next, the process proceeds to step S3.

[0023] In step S3, the process branches depending on the connected device type. That is, if the connected device type is type 0 (two-point control), the process proceeds to step S4, and if the connected device type is type 1 (multipoint control), the process proceeds to step S5. In step S4, communication with the interface unit 5 is performed in accordance with two-point control, and in step S5, communication with the interface unit 5' is performed in accordance with multi-point control. Although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, processing corresponding to another type of interface unit not shown is also implemented.

[0024] Furthermore, the interface units 5, 5' and the other types of interface units (not shown) perform the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. When the interface units 5, 5' or another type of interface unit (not shown) is connected to the motor driver board 25, an initialization process is first carried out in step S6, and the process proceeds to the next step S7.

[0025] In step S7, communication is performed with the motor driver board 25 to acquire the type of the motor driver board 25 (hereinafter referred to as the connected device type). Next, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0026] In step S8, the process branches depending on the type of connected device. That is, if the connected device type is type 0 (servo motor), the process proceeds to step S9, and if the connected device type is type 1 (stepping motor), the process proceeds to step S10. In step S9, processing corresponding to the servo motor is carried out, and in step S10, processing corresponding to the stepping motor is carried out.

[0027] Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. The actuator 1 rotates the servo motor 11, thereby causing the table 7 to reciprocate in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 2) by means of a screw shaft nut mechanism (not shown). The actuator 1 communicates with devices and networks (not shown) via an interface unit 5 and is controlled via the interface unit 5 .

[0028] Furthermore, the control method of the actuator 1 can be changed by changing the interface unit combined with the motor unit 3. Furthermore, the actuator 1 may be provided with a different type of motor by changing the motor unit combined with the interface unit 5. Alternatively, the actuator main body 2 may be provided with a rod, for example.

[0029] When the motor unit 3, motor unit 3', and other types of motor units are connected to the interface unit 5, interface unit 5', and other types of interface units, they perform processing corresponding to the connected counterpart.

[0030] Next, the effects of the first embodiment will be described. The actuator 1 can be combined with multiple types of motor units and interface units, and the specifications can be easily changed, allowing for an increased variety of options thanks to its simple configuration. Furthermore, when the motor unit and interface unit are connected, they recognize the type of device they are connected to and perform processing appropriate to the device they are connected to, so the user can easily change the specifications without having to perform any setting operations. Furthermore, the interface unit and the motor unit are connected by the same connector 59 and connector 49, regardless of the type of the interface unit and the motor unit, and communication is carried out in the same format, so the specifications can be easily changed without the user having to perform any setting operations.

[0031] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The actuator 101 according to the second embodiment has a configuration substantially similar to that of the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment described above, but a pigtail-type interface unit 105 is detachably installed on the outside of the motor unit 103. In addition, in the second embodiment, there are multiple types of motor units with different motor types, etc., and multiple types of interface units with different communication methods, and the combination of the motor units and the interface units can be selected as desired.

[0032] In the case of the second embodiment, the interface unit 105 is detachably installed outside the motor unit 103, so that the specifications can be changed even more easily.

[0033] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The actuator according to the third embodiment has a configuration substantially similar to that of the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment and the actuator 101 according to the second embodiment, but the interface unit has a different communication method. For example, the interface unit may be one that communicates with various field networks, or one that performs wireless communication or Ethernet communication. In the third embodiment, the interface unit can be replaced with another type of interface unit, thereby making it possible to change the communication method of the actuator 1 with other devices.

[0034] The present invention is not limited to the first to third embodiments. There are various possible communication methods for the interface unit. In addition, various types of control by the controller circuit are possible in the third embodiment. That is, the control method can be easily changed by replacing the interface unit. Furthermore, various types of motors for the motor units are conceivable. Additionally, the illustrated configuration is merely an example. [Industrial Applicability]

[0035] The present invention relates to an actuator, and in particular to an actuator that is devised so that specifications can be easily changed, and is suitable for, for example, industrial robots. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1 actuator 3 Motor Unit 3´ Motor unit 5 Interface Unit 5´ Interface Unit 11 Motor 27 Encoder circuit 41 Motor driver circuit 63 Controller Circuit 101 Actuator 103 Motor unit 105 Interface Unit

Claims

1. a motor unit including a motor, a motor driver circuit, and a case in which the motor and the motor driver circuit are housed; an interface unit provided with an interface circuit connected to the motor driver circuit of the motor unit; Equipped with There are a plurality of types of the motor unit and the interface unit, the interface unit is detachable from the motor unit, and the combination of the motor unit and the interface unit can be changed; The actuator is characterized in that the interface unit is also housed within the case of the motor unit.

2. 2. The actuator according to claim 1, The actuator is characterized in that the interface unit is provided with a controller for controlling the operation of the motor.

3. 3. The actuator according to claim 2, The actuator is characterized in that the controller performs two-point control.

4. 3. The actuator according to claim 2, The actuator is characterized in that the controller performs multipoint control.

5. 2. The actuator according to claim 1, An actuator characterized in that the interface unit communicates when connected to the motor unit, the motor unit determines its own behavior by identifying the type of the interface unit connected to it, and the interface unit determines its own behavior by identifying the type of the motor unit connected to it.

6. 6. The actuator according to claim 5, An actuator characterized in that the format and connector of communication between the interface unit and the motor unit are common regardless of the type of the interface unit.

7. The actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, An actuator characterized in that an encoder circuit is provided in the motor unit.

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