JP2000121415A - Detecting device and mobile object - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the position detecting precision of a mobile object regardless of the height of environmental temperature. SOLUTION: The position of a mobile object 15 is detected based on the directions of different magnetic lines of force generated from the mobile object 15 in a sensing device 2 for detecting the position of the mobile object 15. At the time of detecting the directions of the magnetic lines of force, the influence of the height of environmental temperature can be made smaller than that at the time of detecting the strength of magnetic field intensity in a conventional manner. Thus, the position detecting precision of the mobile object 15 can be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a detection device and a moving body. The detection device of the present invention is used, for example, for detecting the remaining amount of liquid in a liquid storage tank. Further, the moving body of the present invention is used for the detection device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a case where kerosene is supplied from a kerosene tank to a kerosene heater or the like, it is detected that the remaining amount of kerosene becomes small before the kerosene in the kerosene tank becomes empty. A sensing device is used.

[0003] This detection device uses, for example, a single magnet and a magnetic sensor, and the magnet is arranged so as to be able to move up and down in accordance with the increase and decrease of kerosene stored in a kerosene tank. The magnetic sensor is provided so as to detect a vertical position of the magnet. The magnetic sensor detects the magnetic field strength of the magnet.

The above-mentioned magnet is attached to the upper end of a rod penetrating the ceiling wall of the kerosene tank so as to be vertically displaceable, and a float floating with respect to kerosene is attached to the lower end of the rod. Using the buoyancy of the rod, the rod and the magnet are raised and lowered.

The above-mentioned magnetic sensor is disposed at a required position on the lower side of a permissible range of elevation of the magnet in order to detect that the amount of kerosene remaining in the kerosene tank has become small. For this reason, when the amount of kerosene remaining in the kerosene tank is large, the separation distance between the magnetic sensor and the magnet increases, and the magnetic field intensity detected by the magnetic sensor decreases. Falls, the distance between the magnetic sensor and the magnet decreases, and the magnetic field strength detected by the magnetic sensor increases.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the change in the magnetic field strength accompanying the vertical movement of the single magnet is detected by the magnetic sensor. However, the width of the change in the magnetic field strength is small. In particular, in a situation where the magnetic field intensity changes depending on the level of the environmental temperature, it can be said that the detection accuracy of the kerosene remaining amount is low.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the position detection accuracy of a moving object regardless of the level of the environmental temperature.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in summary,
In a detection device that detects the position of a moving body, the position of the moving body is detected based on the directions of different lines of magnetic force generated from the moving body.

As described above, when detecting the direction of the magnetic field lines, the detection accuracy is improved because the influence of the environmental temperature is not so much affected as compared with the case of detecting the strength of the magnetic field intensity as in the conventional example. become.

In the present invention, a moving body that moves linearly in response to a change in the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid storage tank generates two lines of magnetic force in mutually opposite directions. In this moving body, when the moving body moves linearly according to the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid storage tank, the relative position with respect to the immovable arrangement detecting means changes. Here, the direction of the magnetic field lines of the moving body acting on the detecting means differs between when the moving body is located downstream of the detecting means in the moving direction and when it is located upstream in the moving direction. Will be. Therefore, the position of the moving body can be detected by detecting a change in the direction of the line of magnetic force with respect to the detecting means.

If the direction of the lines of magnetic force is detected in this manner, the range of change in the detection output by the detection means becomes large, and therefore, even if the magnetic field strength changes due to the level of the environmental temperature, the detection accuracy of the remaining amount of liquid can be improved. It can be said that it will be improved.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, an example is given in which the detection device of the present invention is a kerosene level detection device that detects the remaining amount of kerosene in a kerosene tank.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a kerosene level detecting device. In the figure, 1 is a kerosene tank and 2 is a kerosene level detecting device. The kerosene level detection device 2 includes a tank gauge 3, a magnetic sensor 4, and a processing unit 5.

The tank gauge 3 indicates the remaining amount of kerosene in the kerosene tank 1. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
Frame 11, lifting rod 12, swing rod 13,
A float 14, a detector 15, and a gauge case 16 are provided. The tank gauge 3 will be described later in detail. The detector 15 corresponds to a moving body described in claims.

The magnetic sensor 4 outputs an electric signal corresponding to the height position of the detector 15 of the tank gauge 3, and is constituted by two Hall elements 21 and 22 in this embodiment. The reason why the magnetic sensor 4 is composed of the two Hall elements 21 and 22 is to expand the detection range in consideration of a decrease in the magnetic field intensity due to a change in the position of the detector 15 in the vertical direction. These Hall elements 21 and 22
When the magnetic field lines of the magnets 15b and 15c of the detector 15 pass downward from above, a positive (+) potential is output, and when the magnetic field lines pass upward from below, a negative (-) potential is output. And outputs a potential “0” in the case of non-passage.

The processing unit 5 determines whether or not the remaining amount of kerosene in the kerosene tank 1 is less than a required value (for example, 1/2) based on each output from the two Hall elements 21 and 22 of the magnetic sensor 4. In response to this, a signal indicating the presence or absence of a kerosene replenishment request is output. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the processing unit 5 includes two Hall elements 2 of the magnetic sensor 4.
A differential amplifier 31, which differentially amplifies each output from the first and second outputs 22,
32, threshold setting circuits 33 and 34 for setting threshold Vref, and whether output voltages V1 and V2 from differential amplifiers 31 and 32 are lower than threshold Vref given from threshold setting circuit 32 Comparing circuits 35 and 36 for determining whether or not there is a kerosene replenishment request, and two comparing circuits 3
And an OR circuit 37 for outputting a kerosene replenishment request to the outside when a kerosene replenishment request is output from any one of the fuel tanks 5 and 36. Although not shown, for example, the OR circuit 37
If a notification device or the like is connected thereto, when a request for replenishing kerosene is output from the OR circuit 37, a notification indicating a request for replenishment of kerosene can be made by the notification device or the like. The OR circuit 37 may be configured to perform software processing by a microcomputer or the like.

In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 4 and the processing unit 5 described above are housed in a single protective case 6 and can be handled as a single component. As shown in (1), it is configured to be detachably attached to the gauge case 16 of the tank gauge 3 while being held together.

The above-described protective case 6 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG.
a and 6b are integrally formed. This arm-shaped projection 6
a, 6b are attached to the gauge case 16 of the tank gauge 3 so as to surround the outer periphery thereof, and a wire-shaped retaining ring is provided for a region from the arm-shaped projections 6a, 6b to the lower portion of the protective case 6. The protective case 6 is fixed to the gage case 16 by externally fitting the wire 7 and fastening the separated portion of the wire-shaped retaining ring 7 with a bolt 8 or a nut 9. Note that the magnetic sensor 4 and the processing unit 5 correspond to a detecting unit described in claims.

Here, the configuration of the tank gauge 3 will be described. The tank gauge 3 in this embodiment has the same basic configuration as that of the conventional one, but is characterized by the configuration of the detector 15.

The frame 11 has a cylindrical pipe 11a.
And a pedestal 11b attached to the upper end of the pipe 11a by screws. The pedestal 11b is formed by pressing a metal plate, and has an annular flat plate portion 11c having a through hole in the center and a downward cylindrical portion 11d connected to the outer periphery thereof. 11a is fitted into the upper end. The frame 11 corresponds to a supporting portion described in claims.

The lifting rod 12 is formed of a cylindrical rod.
The frame 11 is inserted into the pipe 11a so as to be relatively slidable.

One end of the swing rod 13 is attached to the lower end of the pipe 11a of the frame 11 so as to be tiltable in a lateral posture. A connecting bar 17 is provided at a required position near the tilting fulcrum of the swing rod 13 and at a lower end of the lifting rod 12. They are linked.

The float 14 is made of a phenol resin or the like and is formed in a cylindrical shape. This float 14
The swing rod 13 is attached to the free end in a lateral orientation.

The detector 15 is fixed to the upper end of the lifting rod 12, and as shown in FIG.
It is composed of four parts: two annular magnets 15b and 15c and a flat washer 15d. The holder 15a has an inner cylinder 15e, an outer cylinder 15f, and a flange 15g. The upper end of the elevating rod 12 is fitted to the inner cylinder 15e, and the outer cylinder 15f has Two magnets 15b, 1 in the direction
5c are arranged outside and the flange 15g is attached to the outer cylinder 1
The two magnets 1 provided at the center in the longitudinal direction of 5e and described above.
5b and 15c are partitioned. Outer tube part 15e
At both ends, two slits 15h for facilitating the mounting of the magnets 15b and 15c are provided, and two claws 15i for preventing the magnets 15b and 15c from easily coming off are provided respectively. Have been. And
As shown in FIG. 5, the two magnets 15b and 15c are attached to the holder 15a such that the respective N poles face each other and repel each other. It is opposite to the direction.

The gauge case 16 is made of a transparent synthetic resin, and scales (F, 3/4, 1/2, and E) corresponding to the kerosene level of the kerosene tank 5 are added at several positions in the vertical direction. The scale of the gauge case 16 corresponds to the detector 1
5 is indicated by a flat washer 15d.

The operation of the kerosene level detecting device 2 described above will be described. That is, when the kerosene in the kerosene tank 1 is consumed and the kerosene remaining amount decreases, the vertical position of the detector 15 in the tank gauge 3 changes one by one according to the change. The height position of the detector 15 that changes every time as described above can be visually confirmed by the scale attached to the outer peripheral surface of the gauge case 16, but is converted into an electric signal by the magnetic sensor 4, and the processing unit 5 supplies kerosene. It recognizes whether it is necessary or not.

The processing section 5 recognizes that the kerosene remaining amount is insufficient when the kerosene remaining amount in the kerosene tank 1 becomes less than 1/2, and outputs a kerosene replenishment request signal. ing. To do so, the upper Hall element 21a of the magnetic sensor 21 is connected to the gauge case 1 of the tank gauge 3.
It is arranged at the position of 1/2 of the scale of 6. The setting of the reference value for determining whether or not kerosene is insufficient is arbitrary.

The operation of detecting the position of the detector 15 of the tank gauge 3 will be described. The detector 15 is a kerosene tank 1
Although it is vertically displaced in accordance with the remaining amount of kerosene, when considering the position of the Hall element 21 on the upper side of the magnetic sensor 4, it can be roughly divided into three states A, B, and C in FIG. Become.

(1) When the detector 15 is located at "A", the kerosene remaining amount in the kerosene tank 1 is almost full, and the detector 15 is located at the upper and lower two holes of the magnetic sensor 4. It is assumed that they are located above the elements 21 and 22. In this case, the lines of magnetic force of the magnet 15c disposed below the detector 15 pass through the upper and lower two Hall elements 21 and 22 from above to below. In this state,
The outputs of the two Hall elements 21 and 22 both have a positive (+) potential.

(2) When the detector 15 is located at "B", the amount of kerosene remaining in the kerosene tank 1 is halved, and the flat washer 15d of the detector 15 is It is assumed that it is located at the same height as the upper Hall element 21. In this case, the lines of magnetic force emitted from the upper and lower two magnets 15b and 15c of the detector 15 cancel each other with respect to the upper Hall element 21, so that neither magnetic line of force passes through the upper Hall element 21. , Lower Hall element 2
1, the magnet 15 disposed below the detector 15
The lines of magnetic force c pass downward from above. In this state, the output of the upper Hall element 21 becomes the potential “0”, and the output of the lower Hall element 22 becomes the positive (+) potential.

(3) When the detector 15 is located at "C", the amount of kerosene remaining in the kerosene tank 1 is in a small state, and the detector 15 is located in the upper and lower two holes of the magnetic sensor 4. It is assumed that it is located below the elements 21 and 22. In this case, the lines of magnetic force of the magnet 15b disposed above the detector 15 pass upward from the bottom to the two upper and lower Hall elements 21 and 22. In this state, the outputs of the two upper and lower Hall elements 21 and 22 both have a negative (-) potential.

Then, in the comparison circuits 33 and 34 of the processing unit 5, as shown in FIG.
The potential is set to the value of the “negative (−)” potential slightly smaller than the potential, and the output voltages of the differential amplifiers 31 and 32 are
When the potential is less than the “0” potential, that is, when the potential is “negative (−)”, it is determined that the kerosene remaining amount in the kerosene tank 1 is insufficient. Therefore, in the case of the above (1), it is not determined that the kerosene is insufficient, but in the cases of the above (2) and (3), it is determined that the kerosene is insufficient.

The reason why the threshold values of the comparison circuits 33 and 34 of the processing unit 5 are set to the "negative (-)" potential slightly smaller than the "0" potential will be described. . If the detector 15 is located at the upper and lower ends of the gauge case 16 and is farther than the two Hall elements 21 and 22, the two Hall elements 21 and
If the detection accuracy of the sensor 22 is low, the lines of magnetic force of the magnets 15b and 15c of the detector 15 cannot be detected, and the outputs of the Hall elements 21 and 22 may both have the potential "0". Assuming that such a non-detection region occurs, the threshold values of the comparison circuits 33 and 34 are set to be less than the “0” potential and not to the “0” potential, and the non-detection region is eliminated. I have to.

As described above, in the kerosene level detecting device 2, the relative position of the detector 15 of the tank gauge 3 with respect to the magnetic sensor 4 is detected based on the direction of the line of magnetic force passing through the magnetic sensor 4, thereby obtaining the magnetic sensor 4. Can be set large, the influence of the change in the magnetic field strength due to the level of the environmental temperature can be ignored, and therefore, the remaining amount of kerosene in the kerosene tank 1 can be accurately detected. .

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to only the above embodiment, and various applications and modifications are conceivable.

(1) In the above embodiment, the magnetic sensor 4
Is configured with two Hall elements 21 and 22, but may be configured with a single Hall element.

(2) In the above embodiment, the tank gauge 3 has a structure in which the detector 15 is moved in the vertical direction. However, the tank gauge 3 has a structure in which the detector 15 is moved in the horizontal direction, for example. Is also good.

(3) In the above embodiment, the processing unit 5
May be notified by an alarm by a kerosene replenishment request output from the company, or may be communicated to a management device owned by a kerosene supplier using a communication device. As a communication form by this communication device, a telephone line or a private communication line can be used. However, if a telephone line is used, a telephone line control unit (NC
U) must be equipped.

(4) In the above embodiment, the processing unit 5
As for, a configuration may be adopted in which a transmission circuit is provided, and this transmission circuit may wirelessly transmit a kerosene replenishment request to the outside. This is located in a place remote from the processing unit 5 (2)
This is advantageous when an alarm or a communication device as described above is arranged. However, it is necessary to equip these alarms and communication devices with receiving circuits.

[0040]

According to the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, the position of the moving body is detected based on the directions of the lines of magnetic force. The position of the body can be accurately detected.

In particular, in the detecting device according to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the position of the moving body corresponding to the remaining amount of the liquid in the liquid storage tank can be accurately detected, so that the remaining amount of the liquid can be accurately detected.

In the detecting device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the detecting means is detachably attached to the support of the rod to which the moving body is attached, the mounting position of the detecting means is set appropriately. Thereby, the detection position of the moving object can be arbitrarily changed.

In the moving body according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, by using the above-mentioned detecting device, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the accuracy of detecting the position of the moving body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a kerosene level detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a tank gauge alone.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a tank gauge alone.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a tank gauge detector alone.

FIG. 5 is a side view in which one half of a detector is sectioned.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a processing unit.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a protective case that integrates a magnetic sensor and a processing unit.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the magnetic sensor and the processing unit are mounted on a tank gauge.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram used to explain the operation of the kerosene level detection device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing a signal obtained by differentially amplifying a detection output of a magnetic sensor by a processing unit;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Kerosene tank 2 Kerosene level detector 3 Tank gauge 4 Magnetic sensor 5 Processing part 11 Frame of tank gauge 3 12 Lifting rod of tank gauge 3 15 Detector of tank gauge 3 15b, 15c Magnet of detector

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Natsuyoshi Nari, 626-1, Nishibayashi-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane Prefecture Inside of Omron Izumo Co., Ltd. R-Izumo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2F013 AA01 AA07 AB01 BC04 CB02 2F063 AA02 BA30 BB10 GA52 LA23 NA02 NA06 2F077 JJ08 TT35

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A detecting device for detecting a position of a moving body which generates magnetic force lines of different directions based on the direction of the magnetic force lines. 2. A moving body that moves linearly and generates lines of magnetic force in different directions, the moving body being arranged at a required position in a moving range of the moving body and based on the direction of the lines of magnetic force at a position relative to the moving body. A detecting device, comprising: detecting means for detecting a position of a body. 3. A moving body that is moved linearly in response to a change in the amount of liquid remaining in a liquid storage tank and generates two lines of magnetic force that are opposite to each other in the moving direction, and an arbitrary position within a moving range of the moving body. Detecting means for detecting the direction of the line of magnetic force immovably arranged in a non-contact state with respect to the moving body and detecting the position of the moving body based on the detection result. 4. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is arranged at an arbitrary position within a moving range of the moving body in a non-contact state with respect to the moving body to detect a direction of a magnetic force line. A detection device, comprising: a sensor; and recognition means for recognizing a position of the moving body based on an output from the sensor. 5. The detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the movable body is attached to a free end side of a rod that is linearly moved according to a change in the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid storage tank. The means is removably attached to a support portion of the rod with respect to the liquid storage tank.
A detection device characterized by the above-mentioned. 6. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the moving body has a cylindrical holder having a radially outward flange at substantially the center in the longitudinal direction, and a longitudinal direction extending from the flange of the holder. And two annular magnets which are externally fitted in a region up to one end and a region from the flange to the other end in the longitudinal direction so as to repel each other. 7. A moving body that moves in a required direction, comprising two magnets that are combined adjacently to each other in the moving direction so as to repel each other.