Vacuum pump, temperature adjustment controller used for vacuum pump, inspection tool, and method of diagnosing temperature-adjustment function unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11549515-B2
Application number	US-201816629471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2018
Priority date	Jul 14, 2017
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A vacuum pump includes a control unit that monitors and controls a motor and a magnetic bearing, each being stored in a pump body. A temperature-adjustment function unit measures a temperature of the pump body by at least one temperature sensor disposed in the pump body and controls at least one heater or solenoid controlled valve based on the temperature. The temperature-adjustment function unit includes a first terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting the temperature sensor and a second terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve. A self-diagnosis unit capable of conducting a self-diagnosis of whether an input signal to the first terminal has been normally inputted or whether the signal has been normally outputted from the second terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum pump comprising:
a control unit that monitors and controls a motor and a magnetic bearing, each being stored in a pump body; and
a temperature-adjustment function unit that measures a temperature of the pump body by at least one temperature sensor disposed in the pump body and controls at least one heater or solenoid controlled valve based on the temperature,
the temperature-adjustment function unit including a first terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting the temperature sensor; and
a second terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve,
the vacuum pump further comprising a self-diagnosis unit capable of conducting a self-diagnosis of whether an input signal to the first terminal has been normally inputted or whether the signal has been normally outputted from the second terminal,
temperature determining means that has a dummy first load connected instead of the temperature sensor to the first terminal and determines that the temperature sensor has reached a predetermined temperature value in simulation when a voltage applied to the first load has a preset voltage value; and
output means that has a dummy second load connected instead of one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve to the second terminal, and applies or stops a predetermined current to the second load based on a determination result of the temperature determining means,
the preset voltage value is prepared for turn-on and turn-off of the heater or opening and closing of the solenoid controlled valve, and
the output means is configured independently for each of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve.

2. The vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein an inspection is judged to be passed or not by determining the turn-on and turn-off of the heater or the opening and closing of the solenoid controlled valve on a time-series basis.

3. The vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein the first load is a resistor having resistance values for the turn-on and turn-off of the heater or a resistor having resistance values for the opening and closing of the solenoid controlled valve, the resistors being switchable by a switch.

4. The vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature-adjustment function unit is placed into an inspection mode when it is confirmed that the first load is short-circuited.

5. The vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature-adjustment function unit and the control unit are configured as independent units.

6. A temperature adjustment controller comprising:
a control unit that monitors and controls a motor and a magnetic bearing, each being stored in a pump body; and
a temperature-adjustment function unit that measures a temperature of a pump body by using at least one temperature sensor disposed in the pump body and controls at least one heater or solenoid controlled valve based on the temperature,
the temperature-adjustment function unit including:
a first terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting the temperature sensor; and
a second terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve,
the temperature adjustment controller further comprising a self-diagnosis unit capable of conducting a self-diagnosis of whether an input signal to the first terminal has been normally inputted or whether the signal has been normally outputted from the second terminal,
temperature determining means that has a dummy first load connected instead of the temperature sensor to the first terminal and determines that the temperature sensor has reached a predetermined temperature value in simulation when a voltage applied to the first load has a preset voltage value; and
output means that has a dummy second load connected instead of one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve to the second terminal, and applies or stops a predetermined current to the second load based on a determination result of the temperature determining means,
the preset voltage value is prepared for turn-on and turn-off of the heater or opening and closing of the solenoid controlled valve, and
the output means is configured independently for each of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve.

7. An inspection tool of a temperature-adjustment function unit that measures a temperature of a pump body by using at least one temperature sensor disposed in the pump body and controls at least one heater or solenoid controlled valve based on the temperature,
the temperature-adjustment function unit including:
a first terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting the temperature sensor; and
a second terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve,
the temperature adjustment controller further comprising a self-diagnosis unit capable of conducting a self-diagnosis of whether an input signal to the first terminal has been normally inputted or whether the signal has been normally outputted from the second terminal,
temperature determining means that has a dummy first load connected instead of the temperature sensor to the first terminal and determines that the temperature sensor has reached a predetermined temperature value in simulation when a voltage applied to the first load has a preset voltage value; and
output means that has a dummy second load connected instead of one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve to the second terminal, and applies or stops a predetermined current to the second load based on a determination result of the temperature determining means,
the preset voltage value is prepared for turn-on and turn-off of the heater or opening and closing of the solenoid controlled valve, and
the output means is configured independently for each of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve.

8. A method of determining a temperature of a temperature-adjustment function unit and diagnosing presence or absence of an anomaly of output, the temperature-adjustment function unit measuring a temperature of a pump body by at least one temperature sensor disposed in the pump body and controlling at least one heater or solenoid controlled valve based on the temperature,
the temperature-adjustment function unit including:
a first terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting the temperature sensor; and
a second terminal capable of connecting or disconnecting one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve,
the method allowing a self-diagnosis that determines whether an input signal to the first terminal has been normally inputted or whether the signal has been normally outputted from the second terminal,
connecting a dummy first load instead of the temperature sensor to the first terminal,
connecting a dummy second load is connected instead of one of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve to the second terminal,
determining that the temperature sensor has reached a predetermined temperature value in simulation when a voltage applied to the first load has a preset voltage value; and
applying or stopping a predetermined current to the second load based on a simulated determination result of the temperature determining means,
preparing the preset voltage value for turn-on and turn-off of the heater or opening and closing of the solenoid controlled valve, and
configuring current control on the second load independently for each of the heater and the solenoid controlled valve.

Assignees

• Edwards Japan Ltd

Inventors

• Fukami Hideo
• Ishibashi Masatoshi

Classifications

• F04D19/048 Primary

  comprising magnetic bearings · CPC title

• F05D2210/12

  gaseous, i.e. compressible · CPC title

• G01R31/54

  Testing for continuity · CPC title

• F04D27/001

  Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring · CPC title

• F04D19/042 Primary

  Turbomolecular vacuum pumps · CPC title