CONTROLLER AND VACUUM PUMP DEVICE

Abstract

A controller including a control circuit that controls operation of a pump main body of a vacuum pump device is provided. The controller includes a controller housing in which the control circuit is housed, and a heat sink formed integrally with the controller housing and including a plurality of fins formed from the outer peripheral surface of the controller housing toward the outer side.

Claims

1. A controller including a control circuit that controls operation of a pump main body of a vacuum pump device, the controller comprising: a controller housing in which the control circuit is housed; and a heat sink formed integrally with the controller housing and including a plurality of fins formed so as to protrude outwardly from an outer peripheral surface of the controller housing.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller housing is made of a casting, and both side surfaces of each of the fins are formed as tapered surfaces inclined toward a demolding direction.

3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein each of the fins is formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape in a front view.

4. The controller according to claim 1, wherein each of the fins is formed in a substantially rhombic shape in a front view.

5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein each of the fins is formed in a substantially polygonal shape including a triangular shape in a front view.

6. The controller according to claim 2, wherein the tapered surfaces of each of the fins are formed such that an opening area of an air passage formed between an adjacent pair of the fins becomes small on the pump main body side.

7. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller housing is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a front view, and the fins are formed at the corners or on the outer peripheral surface.

8. The controller according to claim 7, wherein tapered surfaces on both side surfaces of the fins are standardized such that a demolding direction of the fins formed at the corners or on the outer peripheral surface is same.

9. The controller according to claim 8, wherein the demolding direction of the fins is a direction along a center axis of the vacuum pump device.

10. A vacuum pump device comprising: the controller according to any one of claim 1 to 9.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is an exterior perspective view of a vacuum pump device including a controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a front view of the vacuum pump device according to the first embodiment;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vacuum pump device according to the first embodiment;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a heat sink in the controller according to the first embodiment;

[0035] FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating a modification of the controller according to the first embodiment;

[0036] FIG. 6 is an exterior perspective view of a vacuum pump device including a controller according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a heat sink in the controller according to the second embodiment; and

[0038] FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining a modification of a heat sink portion in the controllers according to the first and second embodiments.

DESCRIPTION ON THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] In order to achieve an object of providing a controller and a vacuum pump device that produce less vibration, has minimized sizes, are inexpensive, and can efficiently remove heat of a control circuit installed in the controller, the present invention provides a controller including a control circuit that controls the operation of a pump main body of the vacuum pump device. The controller including a controller housing in which the control circuit is housed, and a heat sink formed integrally with the controller housing and including a plurality of fins formed so as to protrude outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the controller housing. With this configuration, the above object can be achieved.

[0040] Modes for carrying out the present invention are explained in detail below with reference to the attended drawings. In the following explanation, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals and signs throughout the entire explanation of embodiments. In the following explanation, expressions indicating directions such as an up-and-down direction and a left-and-right direction are not absolute and are appropriate when sections of a controller and a vacuum pump device of the present invention take postures drawn in the drawings. However, when the postures change, the expressions should be changed and interpreted according to the change of the postures.

Embodiments

[0041] FIG. 1 is an exterior perspective view of a vacuum pump device 10 including a controller 12 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the vacuum pump device 10. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vacuum pump device 10.

[0042] The vacuum pump device 10 in the first embodiment can be applied to means for highly evacuating the inside of a vacuum chamber (not illustrated) of a target apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, an electron microscope, or a mass spectrometer.

[0043] The vacuum pump device 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes a pump main body 11 that sucks and exhausts gas molecules from the inside of a vacuum chamber and the controller 12 that controls the operation of the pump main body 11. The pump main body 11 is mounted on the upper surface of the controller 12. The pump main body 11 and the controller 12 are integrated.

[0044] The pump main body 11 is a turbo molecular pump, the outer side of which is covered with a cylindrical pump case 13 and which contains a rotor and a stator (not illustrated) therein. The bottom surface of the pump main body 11 is closed by a disk-shaped bottom lid 14. The controller 12 is covered with a controller housing 15. A control circuit board for mainly controlling a rotating motion of the rotor (not illustrated) is housed on the inside of the controller housing 15. Elements that generate heat during operation such as a transistor and a resistor are mounted on the control circuit board. The control circuit board and a control section in the pump main body 11 are electrically connected via a harness, a connector (both are not illustrated), and the like. Concerning internal structures of the pump main body 11 and the controller 12, for example, well-known means disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4796795 can be used. Since the internal structures are unrelated to the gist of the present invention, detailed explanation of the internal structures is omitted.

[0045] The controller housing 15 is made of a casting such as aluminum diecast. As shown in FIG. 3, the controller housing 15 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. Four corners 12a of the controller housing 15 are each cut out to fit with a circumference (not shown in FIG. 3) drawn around a center axis O of the controller 12. The corners 12a are rounded. Further, heat sinks 16 are each provided at the corners 12a. Indicators 18 are provided in peripheral surface portions among the corners 12a on the front side of the controller housing 15. Although not illustrated in FIG. 3, an electric wire electrically connecting the pump main body 11 and the controller 12 is provided in a peripheral surface portion on the rear side of the controller housing 15.

[0046] The heat sinks 16 are radially outwardly formed from the outer peripheral surface of the controller housing 15 at the corners 12a of the controller housing 15. Each of the heat sinks 16 includes a plurality of (in this embodiment, six) fins 17 formed integrally with the controller housing 15.

[0047] In the heat sink 16 in the first embodiment, from the viewpoint of further improving heat radiation performance and the viewpoint of facilitating demolding, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the orientations of the fins 17 are aligned such that each of inclinations of both side surfaces (hereinafter referred to as tapered surfaces) 17a and 17b is along a drawing direction of the mold. More specifically, the orientations of the fins 17 are aligned in a direction along the center axis O and in a form of an inverted V (like Japanese KATAKANA character / \ (pronounced as HA)) shape in which the tapered surfaces 17a and 17b of the fins 17 adjacent to each other spread out toward the end. The fins 17 are formed in a substantially inverted trapezoidal shape in a front view.

[0048] In this way, in the first embodiment, by aligning the orientations of the tapered surfaces 17a and 17b of the fins 17 in the heat sink 16 in the drawing direction of the mold, it is possible to facilitate manufacturing of the fins 17 with a casting and to save cost. That is, by aligning the orientations of the tapered surfaces 17a and 17b of the fins 17 in the heat sink 16 in the drawing direction of the mold, since the demolding direction of the casting becomes the same, it is possible to reduce the number of molds for forming the fins. For example, it is possible to manufacture the fins 17 with two molds in the demolding direction along the center axis O. When the fins 17 in the heat sink 16 are formed in a substantially inverted trapezoidal shape in a front view with respect to an air passage 19 formed between the fins 17 and are aligned in the inverted V shape in which the tapered surfaces 17a and 17b of the fins 17 adjacent to each other spread out toward the end, it is possible to further improve heat dissipation. An effect of improving heat dissipation is explained with reference to FIG. 4.

[0049] When the fins 17 are formed in the substantially inverted trapezoidal shape in the front view, in the air passage 19 having the inverted V shape formed by the tapered surfaces 17a and 17b of the fins 17 adjacent to each other, as illustrated in FIG. 4, an area S1 of an opening of an outlet portion of the air passage 19 (hereinafter simply referred to as opening S of the outlet portion) is smaller than an area S2 of an opening of an inlet portion of the air passage 19 (hereinafter simply referred to as opening S2 of the inlet portion). Therefore, since the opening S1 of the outlet portion of the air passage 19 is smaller than the opening S2 of the inlet portion on the lower side, air entering the air passage 19 formed between the fins 17 and flowing to be opening S1 of the outlet portion (the flow is indicated by arrows 20 in FIG. 4) is gradually compressed toward the opening S1 of the outlet portion. When the air passes the opening S1 of the outlet portion, the air is released from the compression and rapidly flows. Consequently, the air in the air passage 19 is drawn by the rapid flow of the air, which passed the opening S1 of the outlet portion, and flown to the opening S1 side of the outlet portion. The flow of the air in the air passage 19 is made smooth and such smooth flow of air further improves the heat radiation effect.

[0050] The configuration of the vacuum pump device 10 according to the first embodiment is as explained above. In the vacuum pump device 10, when the controller 12 is turned on to actuate the pump main body 11, the control circuit board installed in the controller housing 15 is heated to high temperature by heat-generating elements such as transistors and resistor. However, heat of the control circuit board is transferred to the heat sinks 16 via the controller housing 15 and is further radiated by heat exchange via the fins 17 of the heat sinks 16, naturally air-cooled, and removed. In this case, since the opening S1 of the outlet portion of the air passage 19 is smaller than the opening S2 or the inlet portion of the air passage 19, the air passing through the air passage 19 smoothly flows. The heat radiation effect by the heat exchange can be further improved. The heat radiation effect of the controller 12 is greatly improved.

[0051] In the vacuum pump device 10 according to the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the structure is disclosed in which the heat sinks 16 are formed at each of four corners 12a and are not formed in the peripheral surface portions where the indicators 18 are provided on the front side of the controller housing 15. However, as illustrated in FIG. 5, even on the peripheral surface portions where the indicators 18 are provided, fins 21 of the heat sinks 16 may be formed integrally with the controller housing 15 to surround the indicators 18. In the heat sinks 16 in this case, the fins 21 formed in a stripe shape are provided to extend in the up-and-down direction along the center axis O. However, the shape of the fins 21 is not limited to this.

[0052] FIG. 6 is an exterior perspective view of a vacuum pump device 30 including the controller 12 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the heat sink 16 in the controller 12. A configuration in the second embodiment is changed to a configuration in which the shape of fins 33 in the heat sinks 16 is formed in a substantially rhombic shape in a front view. The rest of the components are the same as the components illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. Thus, the same constituent portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and signs, and any redundant explanation of the constituent portions is omitted.

[0053] The heat sinks 16 of the controller 12 illustrated in FIG. 6 are radially outwardly formed from the outer peripheral surface of the controller housing 15 at the corners 12a of the controller housing 15. Each of the heat sinks 16 includes a plurality of (in this embodiment, six) fins 33 formed integrally with the controller housing 15.

[0054] In the heat sinks 16 in the second embodiment, as in the heat sinks 16 in the first embodiment, from the viewpoint of further improving heat radiation performance and the viewpoint of facilitating die cutting of a mold, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the fins 33 are formed in a substantially rhombic shape in a front view. That is, the orientations of the fins 33 are aligned such that an inclination of both side surfaces (hereinafter referred to as tapered surfaces) 33a and 33b is a drawing direction of the mold. That is, the orientations of the fins 33 are aligned in a direction along the center axis O and, in the upper half side of the rhombic, in a form of a substantial V shape in which the tapered surfaces 33a and 33b of the fins 33 adjacent to each other spread out upward and, in the lower half side of the rhombic, in a form of an inverted V shape in which the tapered surfaces 33c and 33d of the fins 33 adjacent to each other spread out to the end. The fins 33 are formed in a substantially rhombic shape in a front view.

[0055] In this way, in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, by aligning respective orientations of the tapered surfaces 33a and 33b, or 33c and 33d of the fins 33 in the heat sink 16 in the demolding direction of the mold, it is possible to facilitate manufacturing of the fins 33 with a casting and to save cost. When the heat sinks 16 are formed in the substantially rhombic shape in the front view and aligned in the form of the inverted V shape in which the tapered surfaces 33c and 33d of the fins 33 adjacent to each other spread out to the end, it is possible to further improve the heat dissipation. An effect of improving the heat dissipation is explained with reference to FIG. 7.

[0056] When the fins 33 are formed in the substantially rhombic shape in the front view, in an air passage 39 having an inverted V shape formed by tapered surfaces 33c and 33d of the fins 33 adjacent to each other, as illustrated in FIG. 7, an area 33 of an opening in an intermediate and outlet portion of the air passage 39 (hereinafter simply referred to as opening 33 of the intermediate portion) is smaller than an area 32 of an opening of an inlet and outlet portion of the air passage 39 (hereinafter simply referred to as opening 32 of the inlet and outlet portion). Therefore, since the opening 33 of the intermediate and outlet portion of the air passage 39 is smaller than the opening S2 of the inlet portion on the lower side, air entering the air passage 39 formed between the fins 33 and flowing to the opening 32 of the intermediate portion is gradually compressed toward the opening S3 of the intermediate and outlet portion. After passing the opening 33 of the intermediate and outlet portion, since the upper side of the opening 33 spreads in the substantially V shape, the air is released from the compression and rapidly flows. Consequently, the air 20 in the air passage 39 is drawn by the rapid flow of the air, which passed through the opening S3 of the outlet portion, and fed to the opening S2 side of the outlet portion. The flow of the air in the air passage 39 is smoothed to further improve the heat radiation effect.

[0057] In the vacuum pump device 30 according to the second embodiment, as in the vacuum pump device 10 according to the first embodiment, when the controller 12 is turned on to actuate the pump main body 11, the control circuit board installed in the controller housing 15 is heated to high temperature by heat-generating elements such as transistors and resistors. However, heat of the control circuit board is transferred to the heat sinks 16 via the controller housing 15 and is further radiated by heat exchange via the fins 33 of the heat sinks 16, naturally air-cooled, and removed. In this case, since the opening S3 of the intermediate and outlet portion of the air passage 39 is smaller than the opening S2 of the inlet portion of the air passage 39, the air (a flow of the air is indicated by the arrows 20 in FIG. 7) passing through the air passage 39 is smoothly fed. The heat radiation effect by the heat exchange can be further improved. The heat radiation effect of the controller 12 is greatly improved.

[0058] The above embodiments disclose structures in which the fins 17 of the heat sinks 16 in the first embodiment and the fins 33 of the heat sinks 16 in the second embodiment are provided radially outwardly from the center axis O of the controller 12. However, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a structure in which the fins 17 are provided to be displaced in order by approximately 90 degrees for each of the corners 12a may be adopted.

[0059] The above embodiments also disclose structures in which the controller housing 15 in the first and second embodiments are formed in the substantially rectangular shape in the plan view. However, the shape of the controller housing 15 is not limited to the rectangular and may be formed in, for example, a triangular shape, a pentagonal shape, a hexagonal shape, or the like. The fins 17, 33, or the like of the heat sinks 16 may be provided to correspond to each corner.

[0060] Besides the modifications explained above, the present invention can be variously altered without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is natural that the present invention covers the alterations.

REFERENCE SINGS LIST

[0061] 10 Vacuum pump device [0062] 11 Pump main body [0063] 12 Controller [0064] 12a Corner [0065] 13 Pump case [0066] 14 Bottom lid [0067] 15 Controller housing [0068] 16 Heat sink [0069] 17 Fin [0070] 17a, 17b Tapered surface [0071] 18 Indicator [0072] 19 Air passage [0073] 20 Flow of air [0074] 21 Fin [0075] 30 Vacuum pump device [0076] 33 Fin [0077] 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d Tapered surface [0078] 39 Air passage [0079] O Center axis of the controller [0080] S1 Opening of an outlet portion [0081] S2 Opening of an inlet portion [0082] S3 Opening of an intermediate portion