Fluid control device, fluid pressure supply apparatus, and fluid control method
AssigneeSMC Corporation
InventorNatsuki OE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid control device includes a pressure regulating valve control unit that controls a pressure regulating valve so as to output a fluid from the pressure regulating valve at a second pressure lower than a first pressure when the flowrate of the fluid is determined to be equal to or lower than a threshold value continuously for a first prescribed time or longer, and when a standby mode is permitted by an operator. A shutoff valve control unit controls a shutoff valve so as to shut off supplying of the fluid to an external device when a second prescribed time has elapsed in the standby mode.
Claims13
A fluid control device configured to control a valve module equipped with a pressure adjusting valve configured to be capable of adjusting a pressure of a fluid supplied from a fluid supply source, and a disconnection valve configured to be capable of disconnecting a supply of the fluid output from the pressure adjusting valve to an external device, the fluid control device comprising:
- a flow rate acquisition unit configured to acquire from a flow rate meter a flow rate of the fluid passing through the valve module;
- a flow rate determination unit configured to determine whether or not the flow rate that was acquired is less than or equal to a threshold value continuously for at least a first predetermined time period;
- a pressure adjusting valve control unit which is configured, in the case that it is determined that the flow rate acquired during an operation mode in which the fluid is output at a first pressure from the pressure adjusting valve is continuously less than or equal to the threshold value for at least the first predetermined time period, and a standby mode from an operator is permitted, to control the pressure adjusting valve in a manner so that the fluid is output from the pressure adjusting valve at a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure, and to switch the operation mode to the standby mode;
- and
- a disconnection valve control unit which is configured, in the case that a second predetermined time period has elapsed during the standby mode, to control the disconnection valve in a manner so that the supply of the fluid output from the pressure adjusting valve to the external device is disconnected, and to switch the standby mode to an isolation mode.
A fluid control method of controlling a valve module equipped with a pressure adjusting valve configured to be capable of adjusting a pressure of a fluid supplied from a fluid supply source, and a disconnection valve configured to be capable of disconnecting a supply of the fluid output from the pressure adjusting valve to an external device, the fluid control method comprising:
- a flow rate acquisition step of acquiring from a flow rate meter a flow rate of the fluid passing through the valve module;
- a flow rate determination step of determining whether or not the flow rate that was acquired is less than or equal to a threshold value continuously for at least a first predetermined time period;
- a first pressure adjusting valve controlling step in which, in the case that it is determined that the flow rate acquired during an operation mode in which the fluid is output at a first pressure from the pressure adjusting valve is continuously less than or equal to the threshold value for at least the first predetermined time period, and a standby mode from an operator is permitted, the pressure adjusting valve is controlled at a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure, and the operation mode is switched to the standby mode;
- and
- a first disconnection valve controlling step in which, in the case that a second predetermined time period has elapsed during the standby mode, the disconnection valve is controlled in a manner so that the supply of the fluid output from the pressure adjusting valve to the external device is disconnected, and the standby mode is switched to an isolation mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.