Drive apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9814146-B2
Application number	US-201414906678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2014
Priority date	Aug 23, 2013
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

Plug having common specifications are arranged on the side surfaces of each of the devices of different types included in the drive apparatus that controls an electric motor, and the plugs are positioned such that the side surfaces of the devices are in close contact with each other by connecting the plugs and the devices of different types are integrated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive apparatus that controls an electric motor comprising:
a plurality of devices, wherein each one of the plurality of devices comprises:
a first surface on which a first connector is arranged; and
a second surface on which a second connector is arranged,

wherein the first connector and the second connector have the same standard with each other,
wherein said each one of the plurality of devices has a different function from each other,
wherein the first connector of said one of the plurality of devices as a first device is connectable to the second connector of another one of the plurality of devices as a second device arranged adjacent to the first device, and
an arrangement position of the first connector on the first surface of the first device and an arrangement position of the second connector on the second surface of the second device correspond to each other.

2. The drive apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first device on which the first connector is arranged and the second surface of the second device on which the second connector is arranged are in close contact with each other.

3. The drive apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector and the second connector of said each one of the plurality of devices are arranged such that the plurality of devices are coupled together.

4. The drive apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector is a male plug and the second connector is a female plug.

5. The drive apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an end cap as a cover for covering an exposed connector when one of the plurality of devices is used alone or is installed at an end.

6. The drive apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of devices exchange control signals via the first connector and the second connector.

7. The drive apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of devices are connected in an arbitrary order.

8. A drive apparatus that controls an electric motor comprising:
a plurality of devices, wherein each one of the plurality of devices comprises:
a first surface on which a first connector is arranged; and
a second surface on which a second connector is arranged,

wherein:
the first connector and the second connector have the same standard with each other,
said each one of the plurality of devices has a different function from each other,
the first connector of said one of the plurality of devices as a first device is connectable to the second connector of another one of the plurality of devices as a second device arranged adjacent to the first device, and
said each one of the plurality of devices includes a cable connection terminal adapted to a connection with said another one of the plurality of devices by a cable.

9. The drive apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first connector and the cable connection terminal are arranged on a same substrate.

10. The drive apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the first device is a device that includes a servo amplifier functional unit,
the second device is a device that includes an inverter functional unit, and
the first device and the second device are connected by the first connector and the second connector, and the first device is connected to a motor by the cable connection terminal.

11. A drive apparatus that controls an electric motor comprising:
a plurality of devices, wherein each one of the plurality of devices comprises:
a first surface on which a first connector is arranged; and
a second surface on which a second connector is arranged,

wherein:
the first connector and the second connector have the same standard with each other,
said each one of the plurality of devices has a different function from each other,
the first connector of said one of the plurality of devices as a first device is connectable to the second connector of another one of the plurality of devices as a second device arranged adjacent to the first device, and
the first surface of the first device on which the first connector is arranged and the second surface of the second device on which the second connector is arranged have a lock structure with which the first device is capable of being coupled to the second device.

12. The drive apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of devices of different types can form an integrated structure so that they are not separated from each other.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Miyake Takanori
• Nakahira Takashi

Classifications

• Y02T10/705

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02T10/642

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H02P27/06

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H73/20

  Terminals; Connections · CPC title

• B60L11/1853

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic