JP2004232671A - Valve opening indicating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a valve opening indicating device using RFID tags embodied in a simple structure capable of making a finer indication of the degree of valve opening while the number of component parts is decreased. <P>SOLUTION: The base board 14 of a normally provided part 1 of this indicating device is penetrated by a pointer shaft 15 coupled with an extension rod 6 of an underground buried valve by gears 18 and 19, and a plurality of RFID tags 16 are embedded on a semi-circle centering on the pointer shaft 15 on the oversurface of the base board 14, where the position information written in each RFID tag 16 is placed corresponding to the valve opening, and an antenna 17 in the shape of a pointer is mounted on a projection from the oversurface of the base board 14 of the pointer shaft 15. When the extension rod 6 is rotated, the tip of the antenna 17 moves along the row of tags 16, and receives the position information only from one tag 16 in the confronting position. This eliminates necessity for a shield plate inevitable in a conventional indicating device, and it is possible to make a finer indication of the degree of valve opening. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for displaying the opening of a valve buried underground.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Valves installed in the middle of underground pipes such as upper and lower sewers are generally designed so that the opening is indicated by a scale plate and pointer attached to the valve, and the opening is displayed easily even in a dark place under the ground. In some cases, it has been devised. However, since such a valve opening display method is adopted, it is necessary for a person to go down to the underground display location to check the opening, which is the cause of maintenance and inspection after burial and change of opening. The burden of work such as is increasing.
[0003]
As a means for confirming the valve opening on the ground, a method of detecting the position of a member that is displaced in conjunction with the opening and closing of the valve with a sensor and displaying the valve opening on the ground based on this detection result is known. Conceivable. However, since this method requires a power supply for performing position detection by a sensor, it is not advisable to actually adopt it for a large number of valves in terms of cost. When a limit switch is used as a sensor, it is difficult to display a fine opening degree.
[0004]
On the other hand, by extending the extension rod that rotates in conjunction with the opening and closing of the valve from the underground buried valve to near the ground, converting the rotation of the extension rod into a valve opening with a gear and displaying it with a scale plate and a pointer In some cases, the opening degree can be actually confirmed on the ground. In this case, a commercially available general manhole cover (diameter) is used as a cover for covering the opening meter by setting the size of the opening meter composed of the scale plate and the pointer to a size capable of displaying the opening somewhat finely. (600 mm) is often required. For this reason, there is a problem that the installation cost is high and the noise when the vehicle passes over the lid is large.
[0005]
As a display device that can solve these problems related to the display of the valve opening, there is a display device that uses an RFID tag (Radio Frequency-IDentification) tag that can read and write information without contact. This valve opening degree display device arranges a plurality of RFID tags along a relative movement direction of a magnetic shielding plate that rotates relatively to the RFID tag in conjunction with opening and closing of a valve, and a part of the shielding plate is provided on the shielding plate. An opening for exposing the RFID tag is provided so that the antenna approaches the RFID tag from the side of the shield plate, and the valve opening is displayed based on information read from the RFID tag exposed from the shield plate opening. (See Patent Document 1).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-333079 A
By using this valve opening display device, the valve opening of the underground buried valve can be confirmed on the ground, and it is not necessary to install a power supply. In addition, since the size of the device can be made smaller than that of an open meter using a scale plate and a pointer, a general manhole cover can be used to cover the device even when the device is installed in a recess on the ground.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the valve opening degree display device using the above-described RFID tag, since the antenna communicates simultaneously with the plurality of RFID tags, only the RFID tag in which information corresponding to the valve opening degree is written is regarded as the antenna. In order to communicate, it is necessary to cover each RFID tag with a magnetic shielding plate having an opening, and to expose only some of the RFID tags from the opening. For this reason, the number of parts is increased as compared with the conventional degree meter, and assembly and maintenance of the apparatus are troublesome. There is also a problem that it is difficult to display a fine opening.
[0009]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of a valve opening display device using an RFID tag, reduce the number of components, and enable finer opening display.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention forms an antenna for communicating with an RFID tag in a pointer shape. The pointer shape refers to a shape in which at least the distal end is elongated so as to indicate a very small part of the adjacent member. Then, since the pointer-like antenna is arranged close to the row of the RFID tags, and is moved relative to the tag row in the row direction, it is made to communicate with only one RFID tag located at the opposite position. is there. At this time, the interval between the antenna and the RFID tag facing the antenna may be set appropriately according to the transmission method of the RFID tag. This eliminates the need for a magnetic shielding plate that covers the RFID tag, and can reduce the number of components. In addition, a finer opening degree can be displayed.
[0011]
Specifically, a fixed member is arranged in the vicinity of a member that is displaced in conjunction with opening and closing of the valve, and a plurality of RFID tags are disposed at a predetermined portion of one of these members along the displacement direction of the displacement member. And the position information written in each RFID tag and the valve opening are made to correspond to each other, and the other member has a pointer-like antenna so that it can communicate with only one of the RFID tags. One of the members is attached in the vicinity of the portion where the RFID tag is arranged, and this antenna is moved relative to the row of the RFID tags in the row direction by opening and closing a valve, and one RFID at a position facing the antenna is arranged. Position information is received only from the tag, and the valve opening is displayed based on the received position information.
[0012]
Further, the displacement member is a shaft that rotates in conjunction with opening and closing of a valve, the fixed member is a substrate that passes through the shaft, and the RFID tags are arranged on the substrate along a rotation direction of the shaft, If the pointer-shaped antenna is attached to the shaft, when applying the present invention to an existing valve, it is possible to remodel and use most of the conventional dipstick consisting of a conventional scale plate and a pointer. Therefore, the load and cost of the display device installation work can be further reduced.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a permanent part 1 of the valve opening display device is housed in a case 4 fixed to a recess 3 of a ground 2 together with an upper end of an extension rod 6 of a butterfly valve 5 buried underground. I have. In the butterfly valve 5, an upper end of a rotating shaft 9 extending upward from an opening / closing device 8 attached to a valve body 7 is connected to a lower end of an extension rod 6 by a universal joint 10. By rotating it around, it opens and closes via the rotating shaft 9 and the opening and closing device 8.
[0014]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the case 4 has a cylindrical shape and is divided into upper and lower parts, and an upper half part 11 has a commercially available manhole cover 12 attached to an opening at an upper end, and a lower end. Of the lower half 13 at the upper end of the lower half 13. The case lower half 13 has a two-stage shape in which a step is formed at the center in the vertical direction, and is fixed to the ground 2 at four circumferential positions of the flange portion 13a.
[0015]
The display device permanent part 1 accommodated in the case 4 fixes the tag substrate 14 to the step portion of the case lower half 13 at four positions on its peripheral edge, and attaches the lower end to the bottom of the case lower half 13. The rotatably supported pointer shaft 15 and the extension rod 6 are passed through the substrate 14, and seven RFID tags 16 with positional information written on the upper surface of the substrate 14 are embedded, and the pointer is inserted into the protrusion of the pointer shaft 15 from the upper surface of the substrate 14. The base end of the antenna 17 is fixed, and the pointer shaft 15 is connected to the extension rod 6 via two gears 18 and 19 having different numbers of teeth. When the antenna 17 is rotated to the minimum, the antenna 17 is rotated by 180 ° integrally with the pointer shaft 15.
[0016]
Each of the RFID tags 16 has a built-in small IC that can read and write information on a coin-shaped tag in a non-contact manner, and can be used semi-permanently without requiring a power supply. In order to correspond to the degrees, they are embedded at 30 ° intervals on a semicircle centered on the pointer shaft 15 on the upper surface of the substrate 14. The shape of the tag may be a shape other than a coin shape such as a stick shape. Further, the position information may be data corresponding to the valve opening or the valve opening itself.
[0017]
Also, when the extension rod 6 is rotated, the tip of the antenna 17 moves along the semicircular array of the RFID tags 16, and one end of the antenna 17 is located at a position facing the tip with a slight gap. Position information corresponding to the valve opening is received only from the RFID tag 16.
[0018]
Here, the angle change amount of the antenna does not necessarily need to be 180 °, but can be arbitrarily changed by changing the number of teeth of two gears connecting the pointer shaft and the extension rod. Therefore, the number of teeth of each gear is appropriately selected according to the number of rotations of the extension rod, and the angle change amount of the antenna is adjusted to a size that can secure the required display accuracy, and the antenna is moved to a position corresponding to the angle change amount. An RFID tag may be provided.
[0019]
In this valve opening display device, the permanent part 1 has the above-described configuration, and the portable power supply, reader and portable information terminal (hereinafter, referred to as PDA), which are not shown in the drawing, with the cover 12 of the case 4 removed and the antenna 17 is removed. ), The antenna 17 communicates with one RFID tag 16 to receive position information corresponding to the valve opening, and this position information is read by a reader, converted to a valve opening by a PDA, and displayed. You. It should be noted that a portable power source such as a dry battery can be sufficiently used. Further, the reader can be installed integrally with the antenna.
[0020]
Therefore, by using this valve opening display device, it is possible to accurately check the valve opening on the ground without installing a dedicated power supply, and since the device is compact, a commercially available manhole can be used to cover the device. Covers can be used. In addition, since the pointer-like antenna communicates with only one RFID tag, a shield plate for covering the RFID tag that is not desired to communicate with the antenna is provided in comparison with a display device using a conventional RFID tag. It is unnecessary, and the number of parts is reduced accordingly, so that the assembly and maintenance of the device are simplified.
[0021]
FIGS. 4A and 4B show a second embodiment. In this embodiment, a permanent part 20 of the valve opening display device is attached to a speed reducer 22 of a butterfly valve 21 buried underground. The butterfly valve 21 has an opening / closing device 24 attached to a valve body 23 via a speed reducer 22, and opens and closes by rotating an extension rod 25 extending from the opening / closing device 24 to near the ground.
[0022]
A permanent part 20 of the valve opening display device is configured such that an antenna 27 and a reader 26 are integrally fixed to a protruding part of a valve shaft cover 28 which is directly connected to a valve shaft and rotates from a top surface of the reduction gear 22, and is fixed to a top surface of the reduction gear 22. Eleven RFID tags 29 are attached to the provided tag substrate 22a, and wires 30 extending from the reader 26 are connected to a terminal box 31 provided near the ground. When this embodiment is applied to an existing valve, the valve shaft cover and the substrate, which have been used as a pointer mounting member and a scale plate in a conventional position gauge, can be used, and there are modifications. Easy. In addition, when the installation depth of the butterfly valve is within the reader function, maintenance is easier when the reader is provided in the terminal box.
[0023]
Each of the RFID tags 29 is arranged in a rotation range of the antenna 27 of 90 ° around the valve axis at a different distance from the center of the valve axis along the rotation direction of the antenna 27, so that a finer opening degree can be displayed. It is an array. The point that the antenna 27 communicates with only one opposing RFID tag 29 to receive position information is the same as in the first embodiment.
[0024]
When confirming the valve opening on this display device, as shown in FIG. 4A, a portable power supply 32 and a PDA 33 are connected to a terminal 31 near the ground, and the valve opening is displayed on the PDA 33. Just do it. Further, by connecting the personal computer 34 to the PDA 33, the valve opening data can be immediately transmitted to the management computer, and the valve opening can be displayed at an office or the like that manages the valve.
[0025]
In this embodiment, since the antenna is mounted so as to be directly connected to the valve shaft and rotates, and the angle change amount is always 90 °, it is not necessary to change the arrangement of the RFID tag according to the rotation speed of the extension rod. .
[0026]
Further, as with the first embodiment, a portable reader can be used without being installed integrally with the antenna, as in the first embodiment.
[0027]
In each of the above-described embodiments, the antenna is attached to the member that is displaced in conjunction with the opening and closing of the valve, and the RFID tag is attached to the fixed member disposed near the displacement member. Conversely, the antenna is attached to the fixed member, and the RFID tag is attached to the fixed member. You may make it attach to a displacement member.
[0028]
For example, as a modified example of the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a support shaft 35 connected to the extension rod 6 via gears 18 and 19 has a semicircle centered on the support shaft 35. The substrate 36 in which the RFID tag 16 is embedded is fixed with a screw so that the substrate 36 rotates in conjunction with the opening and closing of the valve, and the pointer-shaped antenna 37 communicates with only one of the RFID tags 16. In order to make it possible, it is also possible to attach it to a mounting table 38 provided at a step portion of the lower case half 13 with its front end close to the upper surface of the substrate 36. In this modification, the extension rod 6 is passed through a support plate 39 which is fixed to the step portion of the lower case half 13 and rotatably supports the substrate 36.
[0029]
When the burying depth of the valve is about 2 m or less, a handy type reader with an antenna can be used instead of attaching the antenna and the reader to the fixed member by attaching the RFID tag to the displacement member. This handy type reader has a pointer-shaped antenna connected to the end of a terminal having a length of about 2 m. By holding the antenna close to the portion of the displacement member where the RFID tag is arranged, the handheld reader is attached to the antenna. Position information can be read only from the RFID tag that has come to the opposing position. In this case, wiring between the antenna and the reader is not required.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the valve opening display device of the present invention has an antenna that communicates with the RFID tag in which the position information corresponding to the valve opening is written as a pointer, and this antenna is linked with the opening and closing of the valve by the RFID. The RFID tag is relatively moved in the column direction with respect to the column of tags, and is arranged so as to communicate with only one RFID tag at a position facing the tag column. Therefore, compared to a display device using a conventional RFID tag, the RFID tag is A magnetic shielding plate is not required, and the number of parts is reduced accordingly, assembling and maintenance can be easily performed, and a finer degree of opening can be displayed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an installation state of a display device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the display device of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4A is a front view showing the installation state of the display device of the second embodiment, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged plan view of a in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5 FIG. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a modification of the arrangement of the antenna and the substrate of FIG. 6; FIG. 6 is a plan view of the display device of FIG. 5 with the lid and upper half of the case removed;
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Permanent display part 2 Ground 3 Depression 4 Case 5 Butterfly valve 6 Extension rod 7 Valve body 8 Opening / closing device 9 Rotating shaft 10 Universal joint 11 Upper half 11a Flange 12 Cover 13 Lower half 13a Flange 14 Substrate 15 Guide Shaft 16 RFID tag 17 Antenna 18, 19 Gear 20 Display device permanent part 21 Butterfly valve 22 Reducer 22a Substrate 23 Valve body 24 Opening / closing device 25 Extension rod 26 Reader 27 Antenna 28 Valve shaft cover 29 RFID tag 30 Wiring 31 Terminal box 32 Power supply 33 PDAs
34 PC 35 Support shaft 36 Substrate 37 Antenna 38 Mounting base 39 Support plate

Claims (2)

A fixed member is arranged in the vicinity of a member that is displaced in conjunction with opening and closing of the valve, and a plurality of RFID tags are arranged in a predetermined part of one of these two members along a displacement direction of the displacement member. The position information written in the RFID tag and the valve opening are associated with each other, and the other member is provided with a pointer-like antenna so that it can communicate with only one of the RFID tags. The antenna is mounted close to the portion where the tag is arranged, and the antenna moves relative to the row of the RFID tags in the row direction by opening / closing a valve, and positional information is obtained from only one RFID tag located at a position facing the antenna. And a valve opening display device for displaying the valve opening based on the received position information. The displacement member is a shaft that rotates in conjunction with the opening and closing of the valve, the fixed member is a substrate that passes through the shaft, and the RFID tags are arranged on the substrate along the rotation direction of the shaft, 2. The valve opening display device according to claim 1, wherein the pointer-shaped antenna is attached to the shaft.

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