Vacuum pump system and vacuum pump RPM control method

Abstract

Disclosed is a vacuum pump system which, even when a plurality of vacuum pumps are arranged, is capable of preventing a beat and low-frequency vibration by matching the RPM and phases of the rotary members of the vacuum pumps with each other. Control is performed such that the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by a slave detecting device are in synchronism with the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by a master detecting device. Alternatively, control is performed such that the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by a detecting device are in synchronism with a synchronous signal output from a synchronous signal generating device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vacuum pump system equipped with N vacuum pumps each of which is equipped with a rotary member and a motor for rotating the rotary member and which are mounted side by side to equipment from which a predetermined gas is to be sucked, and control devices connected to the vacuum pumps and adapted to control at least one of RPM and rotation phases representing rotating conditions of the rotary members, the vacuum pump system comprising: 
 setting means for setting one of the control devices as a master control device and (N−1) control devices excluding the master control device as slave control devices;    master detection means for detecting the rotating condition of the rotary member of a master vacuum pump of the vacuum pumps to which the master control device is connected;    slave detection means for detecting the rotating conditions of the rotary members of slave vacuum pumps of the vacuum pumps to which the slave control devices are connected; and    control means for controlling such that the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by the slave detection means are in synchronism with the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by the master detection means.    
     
     
         2 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control means includes: 
 a motor driving circuit for supplying power to the motor;    a gate signal generating circuit for controlling the power output from the motor driving circuit; and    a synchronous signal comparison circuit for comparing the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by the master detection means with the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by the slave detection means, and outputting the comparison result to the gate signal generating circuit.    
     
     
         3 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 2 , wherein the setting means outputs a master/slave signal making it possible to set the control devices after switching the control devices to master or slave side.  
     
     
         4 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 3 , wherein the switching to master or slave side by the master/slave signal is effected in an order previously set in the setting means.  
     
     
         5 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 4 , wherein the master/slave signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         6 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 3 , wherein the switching to master or slave side by the master/slave signal is effected automatically in the setting means.  
     
     
         7 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 6 , wherein the automatic switching in the setting means is based on at least one of an uptime of the vacuum pumps, a volume of the vacuum pumps, and a failure history of the vacuum pumps.  
     
     
         8 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 7 , wherein the master/slave signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         9 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 1 , further comprising stopping means for stopping the vacuum pumps, 
 wherein when the master vacuum pump is stopped by the stopping means, the control means controls the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by the slave detection means based on comparison with at least one of a reference RPM and rotation phase set for the slave vacuum pumps.    
     
     
         10 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 9 , wherein when any of the slave vacuum pumps is stopped by the stopping means, the control means controls the rotating conditions of the rotary members of the slave vacuum pumps other than the stopped one based on comparison with the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by the master detection means.  
     
     
         11 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 10 , wherein the stopping means is input with an alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the control devices and the vacuum pumps and outputs an operation/stop signal making it possible to switch between the operation and stopping of the vacuum pumps, and 
 wherein when the alarm signal is output from at least one of the control devices and the vacuum pumps, the operation/stop signal output for the vacuum pumps is switched to the stop side.    
     
     
         12 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the alarm signal and the operation/stop signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         13 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 9 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the control devices and the vacuum pumps, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pumps in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         14 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 13 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         15 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 stopping means for stopping the vacuum pumps; and    re-setting means for, when the master vacuum pump is stopped by the stopping means, re-setting one of the slave control devices as the master control device.    
     
     
         16 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 15 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the control devices and the vacuum pumps, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pumps in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         17 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 16 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         18 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 15 , wherein the re-setting by the re-setting means is effected based on a predetermined order.  
     
     
         19 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 18 , wherein the order is determined based on at least one of an uptime of the vacuum pumps, a volume of the vacuum pumps, and a failure history of the vacuum pumps.  
     
     
         20 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 19 , wherein the stopping means is input with an alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the control devices and the vacuum pumps and outputs an operation/stop signal making it possible to switch between the operation and stopping of the vacuum pumps, and 
 wherein when the alarm signal is output from at least one of the control devices and the vacuum pumps, the operation/stop signal output for the vacuum pumps is switched to the stop side.    
     
     
         21 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 20 , wherein the re-setting means is input with the alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the control devices and the vacuum pumps and outputs the master/slave signal, and 
 wherein, when the alarm signal is output from at least one of the master control device and the master vacuum pump, the master/slave signal output for one of the slave control devices is switched to the master side.    
     
     
         22 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 21 , wherein, when the alarm signal is output from at least one of the master control device and the master vacuum pump, the re-setting means switches the master/slave signal output for the master control device to the slave side.  
     
     
         23 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the alarm signal and the operation/stop signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         24 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 18 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the control devices and the vacuum pumps, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pumps in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         25 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 24 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         26 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 15 , wherein when the master vacuum pump is stopped by the stopping means and all the slave vacuum pumps but one are stopped, the control means controls the rotating condition of the rotary member of the one slave vacuum pump based on comparison with at least one of a reference RPM and rotation phase set for the slave vacuum pumps.  
     
     
         27 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 26 , wherein the re-setting by the re-setting means is effected based on a predetermined order.  
     
     
         28 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 27 , wherein the order is determined based on at least one of an uptime of the vacuum pumps, a volume of the vacuum pumps, and a failure history of the vacuum pumps.  
     
     
         29 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 28 , wherein the stopping means is input with an alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the control devices and the vacuum pumps and outputs an operation/stop signal making it possible to switch between the operation and stopping of the vacuum pumps, and 
 wherein when the alarm signal is output from at least one of the control devices and the vacuum pumps, the operation/stop signal output for the vacuum pumps is switched to the stop side.    
     
     
         30 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 29 , wherein the re-setting means is input with the alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the control devices and the vacuum pumps and outputs the master/slave signal, and 
 wherein, when the alarm signal is output from at least one of the master control device and the master vacuum pump, the master/slave signal output for one of the slave control devices is switched to the master side.    
     
     
         31 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 30 , wherein, when the alarm signal is output from at least one of the master control device and the master vacuum pump, the re-setting means switches the master/slave signal output for the master control device to the slave side.  
     
     
         32 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the alarm signal and the operation/stop signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         33 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 26 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the control devices and the vacuum pumps, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pumps in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         34 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 33 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         35 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 27 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the control devices and the vacuum pumps, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pumps in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         36 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 35 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         37 . A vacuum pump system equipped with N vacuum pumps each of which is equipped with a rotary member and a motor for rotating the rotary member and which are mounted side by side to equipment from which a predetermined gas is to be sucked, and control devices connected to the vacuum pumps and adapted to control at least one of RPM and rotation phases representing rotating conditions of the rotary members, the vacuum pump system comprising: 
 synchronous signal generating means for generating and outputting a predetermined synchronous signal;    detecting means for detecting the rotating conditions of the rotary members of the vacuum pumps; and    control means for controlling such that the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by the detecting means are in synchronism with the synchronous signal output from the synchronous signal generating means.    
     
     
         38 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 37 , wherein the synchronous signal is at least one of a reference RPM and rotation phase set to be only one for the N vacuum pumps.  
     
     
         39 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 38 , wherein the control means includes: 
 a motor driving circuit for supplying power to the motor;    a gate signal generating circuit for controlling the power output from the motor driving circuit; and    a synchronous signal comparison circuit for comparing the synchronous signal output from the synchronous signal generating means with the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by the detecting means and outputting the comparison result to the gate signal generating circuit.    
     
     
         40 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 39 , wherein the synchronous signal generating means is a crystal oscillator.  
     
     
         41 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 40 , wherein the synchronous signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         42 . A vacuum pump system comprising: 
 a rotary member;    a motor for rotating the rotary member;    detecting means for detecting at least one of RPM and rotation phase representing rotating condition of the rotary member;    internal comparison means for comparing the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by the detecting means with at least one of a reference RPM and rotation phase;    external comparison means for comparing the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by the detecting means with an external synchronous signal;    switching means for selecting the transmission of the synchronous signal to the exterior or the reception of the synchronous signal from the exterior based on a predetermined switching signal, and which is input with the comparison result of the internal comparison means and the comparison result of the external comparison means, and outputs an output signal which is selected from one of the input comparison results based on the switching signal; and    rotation control means for controlling the rotating condition of the rotary member based on the output signal output from the switching means.    
     
     
         43 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 42 , wherein the switching means includes: 
 an output switch that selects between transmission and non-transmission of the synchronous signal to the exterior based on the switching signal;    an input switch that selects between reception and non-reception of the synchronous signal from the exterior based on the switching signal; and    a mode changeover switch which is input with the comparison result of the internal comparison means and the comparison result of the external comparison means, and outputs an output signal which is selected from one of the input comparison results based on the switching signal.    
     
     
         44 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 42 , which is equipped with N vacuum pump devices each of which is composed of the rotary member, the motor, the detecting means, the internal comparison means, the external comparison means, the switching means, and the rotation control means, 
 wherein the switching signal is a signal which sets one of the vacuum pump devices as a master device and sets (N−1) vacuum pump devices excluding the master device as slave devices;    wherein, when the master device is set by the switching signal, the switching means selects the comparison result of the internal comparison means while transmitting the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by the detecting means to the exterior as the synchronous signal; and    wherein, when the slave devices are set by the switching signal, the switching means selects the comparison result of the external comparison means while receiving the synchronous signal from the exterior.    
     
     
         45 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 44 , wherein the synchronous signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         46 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 44 , wherein the rotation control means includes: 
 a motor driving circuit that supplies power to the motor; and    a gate signal generating circuit that controls the power output from the motor driving circuit based on the output signal output from the switching means.    
     
     
         47 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 46 , further comprising setting means for outputting the switching signal, 
 wherein the switching to master or slave side by the switching signal is effected in an order previously set in the setting means.    
     
     
         48 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 47 , wherein the synchronous signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         49 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 46 , further comprising setting means for outputting the switching signal, 
 wherein the switching to master or slave side by the switching signal is effected automatically in the setting means.    
     
     
         50 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 49 , wherein the automatic switching in the setting means is based on at least one of an uptime of the vacuum pump devices, a volume of the vacuum pump devices, and a failure history of the vacuum pump devices.  
     
     
         51 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 50 , wherein the synchronous signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         52 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 44 , further comprising stopping means for stopping the vacuum pump devices, 
 wherein, when the master device is stopped by the stopping means, the switching means of the slave devices selects the comparison result of the internal comparison means.    
     
     
         53 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 52 , wherein, when any of the slave devices is stopped by the stopping means, the switching means of the slave devices other than the stopped one selects the comparison result of the external comparison means while receiving the synchronous signal from the exterior.  
     
     
         54 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 53 , wherein the stopping means is input with an alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the vacuum pump devices and outputs an operation/stop signal making it possible to switch between the operation and stopping of the vacuum pump devices, and 
 wherein when the alarm signal is output from any of the vacuum pump devices, the operation/stop signal output for the vacuum pump devices is switched to the stop side.    
     
     
         55 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 54 , wherein at least one of the alarm signal and the operation/stop signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         56 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 52 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the vacuum pump devices, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pump devices in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         57 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 56 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         58 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 44 , further comprising: 
 stopping means for stopping the vacuum pump devices; and    re-setting means for, when the master device is stopped by the stopping means, re-setting one of the slave devices as the master device.    
     
     
         59 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 58 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the vacuum pump devices, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pump devices in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         60 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 59 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         61 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 58 , wherein the re-setting by the re-setting means is effected based on a predetermined order.  
     
     
         62 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 61 , wherein the order is determined based on at least one of an uptime of the vacuum pump devices, a volume of vacuum pump devices, and a failure history of the vacuum pump devices.  
     
     
         63 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 62 , wherein the stopping means is input with an alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the vacuum pump devices and outputs an operation/stop signal making it possible to switch between the operation and stopping of the vacuum pump devices, and 
 wherein when the alarm signal is output from any of the vacuum pump devices, the operation/stop signal output for the vacuum pump devices is switched to the stop side.    
     
     
         64 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 63 , wherein the re-setting means is input with the alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the vacuum pump devices and outputs the switching signal, and 
 wherein, when the alarm signal is output from the master device, the switching signal output for one of the slave devices is switched to the master side.    
     
     
         65 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 64 , wherein, when the alarm signal is output from the master device, the re-setting means switches the switching signal output for the master device to the slave side.  
     
     
         66 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 65 , wherein at least one of the alarm signal and the operation/stop signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         67 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 66 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the vacuum pump devices, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pump devices in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         68 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 67 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         69 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 58 , wherein, when the master device is stopped by the stopping means and all the slave devices but one are stopped, the switching means of the slave device selects the comparison result of the internal comparison means.  
     
     
         70 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 69 , wherein the re-setting by the re-setting means is effected based on a predetermined order.  
     
     
         71 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 70 , wherein the order is determined based on at least one of an uptime of the vacuum pump devices, a volume of vacuum pump devices, and a failure history of the vacuum pump devices.  
     
     
         72 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 71 , wherein the stopping means is input with an alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the vacuum pump devices and outputs an operation/stop signal making it possible to switch between the operation and stopping of the vacuum pump devices, and 
 wherein when the alarm signal is output from any of the vacuum pump devices, the operation/stop signal output for the vacuum pump devices is switched to the stop side.    
     
     
         73 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 72 , wherein the re-setting means is input with the alarm signal indicating at least one of failure and maintenance time of the vacuum pump devices and outputs the switching signal, and 
 wherein, when the alarm signal is output from the master device, the switching signal output for one of the slave devices is switched to the master side.    
     
     
         74 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 73 , wherein, when the alarm signal is output from the master device, the re-setting means switches the switching signal output for the master device to the slave side.  
     
     
         75 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 74 , wherein at least one of the alarm signal and the operation/stop signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         76 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 69 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the vacuum pump devices, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pump devices in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         77 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 76 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         78 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 70 , further comprising failure detecting means for detecting failure in the vacuum pump devices, 
 wherein the stopping means stops any of the vacuum pump devices in which failure is detected by the failure detecting means.    
     
     
         79 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 78 , wherein the failure detecting means outputs the alarm signal.  
     
     
         80 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 42 , which is equipped with synchronous signal generating means for generating and outputting the synchronous signal, and N vacuum pump devices each of which is composed of the rotary member, the motor, the detecting means, the internal comparison means, the external comparison means, the switching means, and the rotation control means, 
 wherein the switching means selects the comparison result of the external comparison means while receiving the synchronous signal from the exterior.    
     
     
         81 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 80 , wherein the synchronous signal is at least one of a reference RPM and rotation phase set to be only one for the N vacuum pump devices.  
     
     
         82 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 81 , wherein the rotation control means includes: 
 a motor driving circuit that supplies power to the motor; and    a gate signal generating circuit that controls the power output from the motor driving circuit based on the output signal output from the switching means.    
     
     
         83 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 82 , wherein the synchronous signal generating means is a crystal oscillator.  
     
     
         84 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 83 , wherein the synchronous signal is transmitted through a wired or wireless system.  
     
     
         85 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the rotary members has rotary blades and a rotor shaft arranged at the center of the rotary blades, and is equipped with magnetic bearing means which magnetically levitates the rotor shaft for positional adjustment in at least one of the radial direction and the axial direction.  
     
     
         86 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 37 , wherein each of the rotary members has rotary blades and a rotor shaft arranged at the center of the rotary blades, and is equipped with magnetic bearing means which magnetically levitates the rotor shaft for positional adjustment in at least one of the radial direction and the axial direction.  
     
     
         87 . A vacuum pump system according to  claim 42 , wherein each of the rotary members has rotary blades and a rotor shaft arranged at the center of the rotary blades, and is equipped with magnetic bearing means which magnetically levitates the rotor shaft for positional adjustment in at least one of the radial direction and the axial direction.  
     
     
         88 . A vacuum pump RPM control method for a vacuum pump system equipped with N vacuum pumps each of which is equipped with a rotary member and a motor for rotating the rotary member and which are mounted side by side to equipment from which a predetermined gas is to be sucked, and control devices connected to the vacuum pumps and adapted to control the RPM of the rotary members, 
 wherein the RPM of the rotary members are all controlled to be the same.    
     
     
         89 . A vacuum pump RPM control method according to  claim 88 , wherein each of the rotary members has rotary blades and a rotor shaft arranged at the center of the rotary blades, and is equipped with magnetic bearing means which magnetically levitates the rotor shaft for positional adjustment in at least one of the radial direction and the axial direction.