AU2000249712A1

AU2000249712A1 - Digital meter for measuring alternating current

Info

Publication number: AU2000249712A1
Application number: AU2000249712A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Chao Fou Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-05-05
Filing date: 2000-05-05
Publication date: 2001-11-20
Also published as: GB2378768A; DE10085470T1; GB0225361D0; GB2378768B; JP2003532901A; CA2408056A1; WO2001086310A1

Description

Title ^: Digital Meter For Measuring Alternating Current

Field of the Present Invention

The present invention relates generally to a structure of an alternating current meter for measuring the power consumption, and more particularly to an electronic digital measuring structure of the alternating current meter, which is capable of converting the power consumption rate of a power user into a digital signal output. A precision measurement of the power consumption is thus made possible by the digital signal output.

Background of the Present Invention

The induction- type alternating current meter is a principal instrument which is used by the power company to measure the power consumption by a power user. The collection of the power consumption data by the power company is done by a person who is hired by the power company to read the meter on site. Such a general practice as described above is not cost-effective and is inefficient at best in view of the fact that the wages and the fringe benefits of the meter-person give an added a<_lministrative cost, and that the manual reading of the power meter by the meter- person is apt to be erroneous.

The traditional alternating current meter has inherent deficiencies in light of its measurement of the power consumption being done mechanically. There is often a great disparity between a mechanically-measured value and an actual consumption value. As shown in FIG.l, a prior art alternating current meter 10 comprises a voltage magnet 11 capable of generating a movable magnetic field, and a metal disk 12 which is located over the voltage magnet 11 such that the metal disk 12 is induced by the movable magnetic field to turn. As a result, a center shaft 13 of the metal disk 12 actuated to turn by the metal disk 12 in motion. One of tow gears 151 of a counter 15 is meshed with a worm rod 14 which is mounted on the center shaft 13 such that the worm rod 14 turns along with the center shaft 13. As the revolving speed of the metal disk 12 is transmitted to the counter 15, the numerical reading is shown by the counter 15 as a result of the cumulative measuring and switching, which are attained by a plurality of gear trains of the counter 15. In light of the inherent rrianufacturing tolerance and the error of the engagement ratio of the transmission members of the prior art meter 10, the numerical reading shown by the counter 15 of the meter 10 is not a reliable reflection of the actual power consumption.

Summary of the Present Invention

It is therefore the primary objective of the present invention to provide a digital meter for measuring the alternating current. The digital meter comprises a light- emitting element and a light sensor for conversion of a power consumption rate into a digital signal, which is then processed by a processing unit such that the power consumption is expressed in various forms, such as watts, cash value, etc.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a digital meter for measuring the power consumption. The digital meter is electronically linked with a local area network via which the power company gathers the power consumption data of a power user without the use of a meter-person.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG.1 shows a front view of an induction-type wattmeter of the prior art.

FIG.2 shows a sectional schematic view of an induction-type wattmeter of the prior art.

FIG.3 shows a sectional schematic view of the present invention.

FIG.4 shows another sectional schematic view of the present invention.

FIG.5 shows a circuit block diagram of a signal conversion display of the present invention.

FIG.6 shows a flow chart of operation of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring to FIG.3 and FIG 4, a digital meter for measuring alternating current according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 10', a metal rotary disk 20, a Hght-emitting element 30, a light-sensing element 40, a signal wire 50, and a signal conversion display 60.

The housing 10' is provided in the interior thereof with a voltage magnet 11, The metal rotary disk 20 is mounted over the voltage magnet 11 and provided with a vertical through hole 21, or one or more vertical through holes 21', as shown in FIG 4. The metal rotary disk 20 is mounted on a shaft 22 which is pivoted at the bottom end to the housing 10', as shown by the imaginary lines in FIG 3. The metal rotary disk 20 is induced by a magnetic field of the voltage magnet 11 to turn. As a result, the shaft 22 turns along with the rotary disk 20. The Ught-emitting element 30 and the Ught- sensing element 40 are fixed on the housing 10' such that the Ught-emitting element 30 is corresponding in location to one surface of the metal rotary disk 20, and that the Ught-emitting element30 is separated from the metal rotary disk 20 by a predetermined distance. The Ught-emitted 30 by a Ught-emitting end 31 of the Ught-emitting element 30 is projected on the rotational path of the vertical through hole 21. The Ught-sensing element 40 is opposite to other surface fo the rotary disk 20 and is separated from the metal rotary disk 20 by a predetermined distance. The Ught-receiving end 41 of the Ught-sensing element 40 is corresponding in location to the Ught-emitting end 31 of the Ught-emitting element 30. The signal wire 50 is connected at one end with a signal output end 42 of the Ught-emitting element 40 such that the signal wire 50 is connected at other end thereof with the signal conversion display 60 which is fixed in the interior of the housing 10* for receiving the Ught signal of the signal wire 50. The Ught signal is then converted into a numerical value of power consumption.

As shown in FIG. 5, the signal conversion display 60 comprises a digital counting unit 61, a single-chip microprocessing unit 62, and a digital display unit 63. The digital counting unit 61 is connected to the signal wire 50 for converting the Ught signal of the Ught-sensing element 40 into a digital signal, which is then decoded before being sent to the single-chip microprocessing unit 62 for conversion into the numerical value of power consumption. The memory of the single-chip microprocessing unit 62 is provided with a control software for controlling the entire flow process of the signal conversion display 60. The control may be replaced by a microcomputer chip. The digital display unit 63 is connected to the single-chip microprocessing unit 62 for displaying the numerical value of power consumption.

Referring to FIG.3 and FIG.6, as soon as the power consumption begins, the metal rotary disk 20 is induced by the magnetic field of the voltage magnet 11 to rotate. In the meantime, the Ught emitted by the Ught-emitting end 31 of the Ught-emitting element 30 is continuously projected on the surface of the metal rotary disk 20. As the through hole 21 of the metal rotary disk 20 is turned to the position of the Ught- emitting element 30, the Ught emitted by the Ught-emitting end 31 is received once by the Ught-receiving end 41 of the Ught-sensing element 40 via the through hole 21 of the metal rotary disk 20. As the through hole 21 is moved away from the position of the Ught-emitting element 30. The Ught signal emitted by the Ught-emitting element 30 is obstructed by the metal rotary disk 20, thereby resulting in the interruption in the signal-receiving by the Ught-sensing element 40. In other words, as the rotary disk 20 completes one revolution, the Ught-sensing element 40 receives once the Ught signal. As long as the metal rotary disk 20 keeps turning, the Ught-sensing element 40 receives continuously the Ught signal, which is converted into a digitized signal. The digitized signal is transmitted to the signal conversion display 60 via the signal wire 50. The counting is brought about by the digital counting unit 61. When the signal is accumulated to a certain value, the signal is transmitted to the single- chip microprocessing unit 62 in which the cumulative numerical value is converted into a numerical value of power consumption, which is then exhibited on the digital display unit 63. The digital display unit 63 may be a Ught emitting diode (LED) or a Uquid crystal display (LCD). As shown in FIG. 5 and 6, a paraUel serial conversion unit 64 is connected to the single-chip microprocessing unit 62 which transmits data in a paraUel manner so as to enable the paraUel serial conversion unit 64 to receive the serial data at the time when the single-chip microprocessing unit 62 transmits the signal to the digital display unit 63. The paraUel serial data received by the paraUel serial conversion unit 64 are subsequently transmitted via the telecommunication network or other types of data transmitting network to the terminal located at the power company. A keyboard 65 is connected to the single-chip microprocessing unit 62 to faciUtate a variety of resets of the single-chip microprocessing unit 62. The keyboard 65 may be replaced by a touch switch.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, comprising '■

a housing which provided in an interior with a voltage magnet;

a metal rotary disk is mounted over said voltage magnet and provided in one

surface thereof with at least one vertical through hole and is further mounted on a shaft which is pivotaUy fastened at a bottom end thereof with said housing ;

a Ught-emitting element is fixed on said housing and is coreesponding in location to one of two surfaces of said metal rotary disk, and is separated from said metal rotary disk by a predetermined distance, said Ught-emitting element further has a Ught-emitting end capable of emitting Ught which is projected on a rotational path of said vertical through hole;

a Ught-sensing element is fixed on said housing and is corresponding in location to other one of said two surfaces of said metal rotary disk, and is separated from said metal rotary disk by a predetermined distance, said Ught-sensing element further having a Ught-receiving end and a signal output end, wherein said Ught- receiving end is corresponding in location to said Ught-emitting end of said Ught- emitting element; and

a signal wire is connected at one end to a signal output end of said Ught- sensing element, and at other end to a signal conversion display which is mounted in the interior of said housing for receiving a Ught signal from said signal wire whereby the Ught signal is converted by said signal conversion display to a numerical value of power consumption.

2. A digital meter for mea-niring alternating current, as recited in claim 1, wherein said signal conversion display comprises a digital counting unit, a single-chip microprocessing unit, and a digital display unit, said digital counting unit being connected to said signal wire for receiving the Ught signal of said Ught-sensing element such that the Ught signal is converted to a digital signal, which is decoded before being sent to said single-chip microprocessing unit whereby said single chip microprocessing unit comprises a control software for controlling an entire process flow of said signal conversion display, said single chip microprocessing unit being connected with said digital display unit capable of receiving a signal from said single chip microprocessing unit such that the signal is converted by said digital display unit into a numerical value of power consumption, which is exhibited on said digital display unit.

3. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 2, wherein said single-chip microprocessing unit is further provided with a paraUel serial conversion units which is capable of receiving a signal at the same time as the signal is transmitted from said single-chip microprocessing unit to said digital display unit whereby the signal is converted into serial data which are transmitted via a telecommunictation network or other data transmitting network to a terminal located in the power company.

4. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 2, wherein said single-chip microprocessing unit is further provided with a keyboard connected thereto for faciUtating various resets of said single-chip microprocessing unit.

5. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 3, wherein said single-chip microprocessing unit is provided with a keyboard connected thereto for faciUtating various resets of said single-chip microprocessing unit.

6. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 4, wherein said keyboard is replaced by a touch switch.

7. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 5, wherein said keyboard is replaced by a touch switch.

8. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 2, wherein said single-chip microprocessing unit is a microcomputer chip.

9. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 2, wherein said digital display unit is formed of a Ught-emitting diode(LED).

10. A digital meter for measuring alternating current, as recited in claim 2, wherein said digital display unit is formed of a Uquid crystal display(LCD).