JP6924375B2 - Communication device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an improved communication device.

A communication device capable of wireless communication between a control board housed in a case and a device arranged outside the case is known. As a conventional technique relating to such a communication device, there is a technique disclosed in Patent Document 1.

The communication device as shown in Patent Document 1 is supposed to be used in a dangerous place. A dangerous place is a place where explosive gas may mix with air to create a dangerous atmosphere above the lower explosive limit in a general factory or the like. Communication equipment that is expected to be used in hazardous areas must comply with intrinsically safe explosion-proof requirements (JIS C60028).

The communication device includes a battery, a control board, and a sub-board connected to the control board via a connector in a metal case. This is because it is desirable to have a sub-board for communicating separately from the control board and to connect both boards with a connector in order to suppress the increase in size of the communication device. An opening is opened in the case for communication, and a window member faces the opening.

On the other hand, in a communication device used in a dangerous place, it is necessary to secure a predetermined insulation distance between the battery and the mounting component of the control board in order to meet the intrinsically safe explosion-proof requirement. In order to secure the insulation distance, it is desirable to arrange a cover using a resin having electrical insulation between the battery and the control board. This is because the insulation distance can be secured more reliably than the insulation distance due to space by arranging the cover which is a real object. On the other hand, it is desired to improve workability when attaching the cover.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-054940

An object of the present invention is to provide a communication device capable of achieving both certainty of insulation distance and assembly workability in a communication device in which an insulation distance between a battery and a control board is secured.

The present invention is a communication device in which a battery module, a control board connected to the battery module, and a sub-board controlled by the control board are housed in a metal case in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. There,
It is arranged between the battery module and the control board, and has a cover made of an electrically insulating resin.
The cover has a bottom plate portion located between the battery module and the control board, and first and second recesses formed on the control board side of the bottom plate portion.
The first and second recesses are arranged point-symmetrically in a plan view, and one of the first and second recesses protrudes most toward the battery module among the mounted components mounted on the control board. Facing what you do,
It is characterized by that.

According to the present invention, in a communication device in which an insulation distance between a battery and a control board is secured, both certainty of the insulation distance and assembly workability can be achieved at the same time.

It is a figure which showed typically the plant equipment state collection system which used the detection device (communication device) by embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the detection apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the detection device shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of the detection device shown in FIG. It is (a) plan view, (b) bottom view, (c) front view of the cover shown in FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

See FIG. FIG. 1 shows a plant equipment state collection system 1 in a petrochemical plant. Petrochemical plants are very large. Therefore, each device is detected by the detection device 10 (communication device 10), and the detected information is managed by the data storage management device 5.

This will be described in more detail. A plurality of detection devices 10 are arranged in the dangerous place DA by being attached to each device in the plant. The information detected by these detection devices 10 is transmitted to the network construction device 4 via the repeater 3 or directly from the detection device 10, and is transmitted to the data storage management device 5. The plant manager can confirm the information stored in the data storage management device 5 by using the notebook computer 7 (management terminal 7).

Although three detection devices 10 are shown in FIG. 1, the number of detection devices 10 may be four or more, or one or two.

Examples of the state detected by the detection device 10 include temperature, vibration, and the like. When the administrator recognizes the abnormality in the state, he / she directs the operator to the detection device 10 that has detected the abnormality to check the equipment.

After performing work such as repairing the device in which the abnormality has occurred, the worker detects the mobile terminal 6 (communication device 6) such as a tablet terminal in order to transmit the work completion to the data storage management device 5. Hold it over to communicate. The NFC (Near Field Communication) standard, which is short-range wireless communication, can be adopted for communication between the mobile terminal 6 and the detection device 10. For example, the work content written from the mobile terminal 6 to the detection device 10 by short-range wireless communication is transmitted from the detection device 10 to the network construction device 4 via the repeater 3 or directly from the detection device 10, and further, the network construction device 4 Is transmitted to the data storage management device 5. Further, the mobile terminal 6 may write various information such as authentication information and operating conditions to the detection device 10 by short-range wireless communication when the detection device 10 is installed.

2 to 4 are referenced. The detection device 10 includes a metal case 11, a window member 12 provided in an opening 114 formed in the case 11, a control board 13 fixed to the case 11, and a window connected to the control board 13. A sub-board 14 arranged close to the lower surface of the member 12, a battery module 15 including a battery for supplying electric power to the control board 13, and a cover 16 arranged between the control board 13 and the battery module 15. , And an antenna 17 provided on the upper surface of the case 11. In the case 11, the battery module 15, the control board 13, and the sub board 14 are arranged in an overlapping manner from the lower side to the upper side.

The case 11 includes a first divided body 111 that is arranged at the lower part and has an opening at the upper side, a second divided body 112 that is superposed on the first divided body 111, and the first divided body 111 and the second divided body 112. It is composed of a third divided body 113 located between the two. The first divided body 111 and the second divided body 112 are fastened to the third divided body 113 by bolts 115, respectively. The surface of the case 11 is subjected to surface treatment such as painting as necessary.

The first divided body 111 is composed of a bottom portion that exhibits a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the bottom.

The first division 111 is grounded (grounded).

The second divided body 112 is composed of a lid portion that exhibits a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view.

A substantially rectangular opening 114 is opened in the center of the second divided body 112. The area of the opening 114 in a plan view is ^{set to 1600 mm 2} or less. An antenna mounting hole 116 to which the antenna 17 is mounted is opened adjacent to the opening 114.

The window member 12 is provided so as to close the opening 114 of the second divided body 112. The material of the window member 12 is made of a resin that has electrical insulation and transmits radio waves or magnetism used for non-contact communication. The window member 12 is fastened to the back surface (lower surface) of the second divided body 112 with screws (not shown).

The third divided body 113 is formed of a tubular portion having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and serves as a wall portion between the first divided body 111 and the second divided body 112.

A rigid multilayer printed circuit board is used as the control board 13. The control board 13 is fixed to the back side of the window member 12 by screws 21. The control board 13 is grounded. The control board 13 may be provided with a light emitting element that can be switched on, blinking, and turned off by the control board 13.

A rigid multilayer printed circuit board is used as the sub-board 14. The sub-board 14 is provided by a spacer 22 at least 1.5 mm apart from the control board 13, and is connected to the control board 13 via BtoB (Board to Board) connectors 35 and 42. Further, the sub-board 14 is connected to the antenna portion 41 via the antenna connector 43.

An electronic circuit is composed of a control board 13 and a sub board 14. The control board 13 includes a communication module 31, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown), and a sensor connector 32 for connecting the control board 13 to a sensor (not shown) that detects the state of the device via a cable 32a. , A battery connector 33 that connects the control board 13 to the battery module 15 via the cable 33a, an antenna connector 34 that connects the control board 13 to the antenna 17 via the cable 34a, and a BtoB connector 35 are mounted. .. The antenna connector 34 is a metal terminal, and is the one that protrudes most toward the battery module 15 side among the mounted components mounted on the lower surface (battery module 15 side) of the control board 13. A BtoB connector 42, an antenna connector 43, and a tag IC (not shown) are mounted on the sub-board 14. In addition, a communication line and a power supply line are appropriately provided on the control board 13 and the sub board 14. Further, on the outside of the case 11, an external connector 36 for connecting the cable 32a and the sensor is provided. The same number of sensor connectors 32 as the external connectors 36 are mounted on the control board 13 corresponding to the external connectors 36.

The communication module 31 is activated at preset intervals under the control of the CPU, and receives information detected by the sensor via the antenna 17 and information input to the IC 61 by non-contact communication from the mobile terminal 6. It has a function of transmitting to the repeater 3 or the network construction device 4.

The CPU has, for example, a function of controlling the entire detection device 10. Specifically, it has a function of controlling the operation of the communication module 31, the tag IC, and the sensor.

The tag IC is activated by non-contact communication with the mobile terminal 6 or power supply from the power supply line, has a function of storing information input from the CPU or the mobile terminal 6, and stores the stored information in the CPU or the mobile terminal. It has a function of transmitting to the terminal 6.

The antenna unit 41 is an antenna for performing non-contact communication with the mobile terminal 6. The antenna portion 41 is formed of a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) in which a predetermined antenna pattern is formed of a conductive material. The antenna portion 41 is provided so as to be located between the window member 12 and the sub-board 14. A cushioning material 44 (cushioning material 44) is provided between the sub-board 14 and the antenna portion 41. For the cushion material 44, for example, a sponge containing air bubbles is adopted, the thickness thereof is larger than the distance between the sub-board 14 and the antenna portion 41, and the antenna portion 41 is moved to the back surface of the window member 12 by the compression reaction force generated by the sandwiching. Press and hold against the lower surface). As a result, the antenna portion 41 comes into contact with the back surface of the window member 12, and the detection device 10 can be easily disassembled and reassembled.

Next, the cover 16 will be described with reference to FIG.

The cover 16 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view and a bottom view as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, and is formed on the second division 112 side (upper side) of the case 11 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. ) And the battery module 15 on the first division 111 side (lower side). The material of the cover 16 is made of an electrically insulating resin, and the thickness of the bottom plate portion 61, which will be described later, ensures an insulation distance between the mounted parts mounted on the control board 13 and the battery module 15. The thickness of the bottom plate portion 61 is determined according to the insulation distance required in the intrinsically safe explosion-proof requirement (for example, 0.5 mm or more). The cover 16 is fastened to the control board 13 with screws 21.

The cover 16 has a substantially rectangular bottom plate portion 61 in a plan view and a bottom view, a peripheral wall portion 62 standing upward from the peripheral edge of the bottom plate portion 61, and a surface direction (surface and surface) of the bottom plate portion 61 from the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 62. Four tongues 63 extending in the parallel direction), first and second recesses 64 and 65 formed on the upper surface (control substrate 13 side) of the bottom plate 61, and each tongue 63. It has first, second, third, and fourth holes 66, 67, 68, 69. One of the first and second recesses 64 and 65 faces the antenna connector 34 as described later. By providing the first and second recesses 64 and 65, it is possible to avoid contact between the antenna connector 34 and the bottom plate portion 61 while suppressing the height of the entire cover 16. Screws 21, which are fixing members for fixing (fastening) the cover 16 to the control board 13, are inserted into the first and second holes 66 and 67. The positioning protrusions 23 provided on the back surface of the window member 12 are inserted into the third and fourth holes 68 and 69. Two positioning convex portions 23 are provided on the window member 12, and are inserted into the two hole portions 36 and the third and fourth hole portions 68 and 69 provided on the control board 13, respectively, to control the cover 16. This is an example of a positioning member for positioning with respect to the substrate 13.

The cover 16 is formed so as to have a point-symmetrical shape centered on an arbitrary point P in plan view and bottom view. More specifically, the first recess 64 and the second recess are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the point P. Further, the first hole portion 66 and the second hole portion 67 are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the point P. Further, the third hole portion 68 and the fourth hole portion 69 are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the point P. Therefore, the cover 16 has no directionality of attachment to the left and right, and can be fixed to the control board 13 even if it is rotated 180 ° to the left and right about the point P. With the cover 16 fixed to the control board 13, one of the first and second recesses 64 and 65 faces the antenna connector 34. When the cover 16 is fixed to the control board 13 in the state of FIG. 5, the first recess 64 faces the antenna connector 34 as shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the cover 16 is fixed to the control board 13 in a state where the cover 16 is rotated 180 ° in the left-right direction from the state of FIG. 5, the second recess 65 faces the antenna connector 34 instead of the first recess 64. It becomes. The insulation distance between the antenna connector 34 and the battery module 15 is ensured by the thickness of the bottom plate portion 61 where the first and second recesses 64 and 65 are formed.

The present invention described above has the following effects.

The detection device 10 is a communication device 10 in which a battery module 15, a control board 13 connected to the battery module 15, and a sub-board 14 controlled by the control board 13 are housed in a metal case 11. hand,
A cover 16 arranged between the battery module 15 and the control board 13 and made of an electrically insulating resin is provided.
The cover 16 has a bottom plate portion 61 located between the battery module 15 and the control board 13, and first and second recesses 64 and 65 formed on the control board 13 side of the bottom plate portion 61. ,
The first and second recesses 64 and 65 are provided point-symmetrically in a plan view, and one of the first and second recesses 64 and 65 is the most battery module among the mounted components mounted on the control board 13. It faces the one protruding to the 15 side (antenna connector 34).
According to this, the direction of mounting the cover 16 can be eliminated in the positional relationship between the control board 13 and the mounted parts, and the certainty of the insulation distance and the assembling workability can be achieved at the same time.

Further, the cover 16 has first and second holes 66 and 67 through which a fixing member (screw 21) for fixing the cover 16 to the control board 13 is inserted.
The first and second holes 66 and 67 are arranged point-symmetrically in a plan view.
According to this, when fixing to the control board 13, the direction of attaching the cover 16 can be eliminated, and the certainty of the insulation distance and the assembling workability can be achieved at the same time.

Further, the cover 16 has a positioning member (third and fourth holes 68, 69 through which the positioning convex portion 23 is inserted) for positioning the cover 16 with respect to the control board 13.
The third and fourth holes 68 and 69 are arranged point-symmetrically in a plan view.
According to this, it is possible to eliminate the directionality of mounting the cover 16 in the positioning with respect to the control board 13, and to achieve both the certainty of the insulation distance and the assembly workability.

The case 11 has an opening 114 and has an opening 114.
A window member 12 made of an electrically insulating resin faces the opening 114.
The sub-board 14 is capable of non-contact communication with the communication device 6 located outside the case 11, and the antenna unit 41 for the non-contact communication is connected to the sub-board 14.
A cushioning material 44 (cushion material 44) that presses the antenna portion 41 against the window member 12 is provided in the case 11.
According to this, it is possible to improve the communication performance of non-contact communication and facilitate disassembly and reassembly.

Although the communication device according to the present invention has been described as an example when it is used in a petrochemical plant, it can also be used in other dangerous places. Examples of dangerous places include LP gas filling stations, tunnel excavation sites, thermal power plants, painting factories, and the like.

Further, although the communication device has been described by taking the detection device as an example, the communication device can be applied not only to the detection device but also to other devices as long as it is a device that performs wireless communication with a device outside the case.

That is, as long as the actions and effects of the present invention are exhibited, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications (including deletion of components) are possible. ..

The communication device of the present invention is suitable as a detection device used in a petrochemical plant.

6 ... Mobile terminal (communication device)
10 ... Detection device (communication device)
11 ... Case 12 ... Window member 13 ... Control board 14 ... Sub board 15 ... Battery module 16 ... Cover 34 ... Antenna connector 41 ... Antenna part 44 ... Cushion material (cushioning material)
61 ... Bottom plate 62 ... Peripheral wall 63 ... Tongue 64 ... First recess 65 ... Second recess 66 ... First hole 67 ... Second hole 68 ... Third hole 69 ... Fourth Hole 111 ... 1st division 112 ... 2nd division 113 ... 3rd division 114 ... Opening

Claims (4)

A communication device in which a battery module, a control board connected to the battery module, and a sub-board controlled by the control board are housed in a metal case.
It is arranged between the battery module and the control board, and has a cover made of an electrically insulating resin.
The cover has a bottom plate portion located between the battery module and the control board, and first and second recesses formed on the control board side of the bottom plate portion.
The first and second recesses are arranged point-symmetrically in a plan view, and one of the first and second recesses protrudes most toward the battery module among the mounted components mounted on the control board. Facing what you do,
A communication device characterized by that. The cover has first and second holes through which a fixing member for fixing the cover to the control substrate is inserted.
The first and second holes are arranged point-symmetrically in a plan view.
The communication device according to claim 1. The cover has third and fourth holes through which a positioning member for positioning the cover with respect to the control board is inserted.
The third and fourth holes are arranged point-symmetrically in a plan view.
The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication device is characterized by the above. The case has an opening
A window member made of an electrically insulating resin faces the opening.
The sub-board is capable of non-contact communication with a communication device located outside the case, and an antenna portion for the non-contact communication is connected to the sub-board.
A cushioning material for pressing the antenna portion against the window member is provided in the case.
The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the communication device is characterized by the above.

Images