JP2005019125A - Tunnel illumination control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tunnel illumination control system in which wiring for control is not needed between a control device and an illumination fixture, and in which the reduction of brightness in a tunnel can be moderated even if a surrounding temperature decreases and light outputs of fluorescent lamps are reduced. <P>SOLUTION: This illumination control system is provided with a plurality of illumination fixtures 21 to 26 having the fluorescent lamps, brightness sensors 4 to detect brightness in the vicinity of the entrance and the exit of the tunnel, and a control device 3 to control the number of lighted lamps of the plurality of the illumination fixtures 21 to 26 in accordance with a brightness rank which is determined by determining the brightness rank from the first of the smallest brightness to N-th stepwise based on the brightness detected by the brightness sensors 4. Furthermore, in this illumination control system, an outside atmospheric temperature sensor 5 to detect temperatures of an inner part or the vicinity of the entrance and the exit of the tunnel is installed, and when the temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor 5 is lower than a prescribed temperature Y, the control device 3 controls the plurality of illumination devices 21 to 26 so that the number of the lighted lamps corresponds to the brightness rank higher by one rank than the determined brightness rank. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tunnel illumination control system using a fluorescent lamp whose light output decreases when the temperature is low.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a light source of this type of lighting apparatus, many use an HID lamp or a low-pressure sodium lamp. However, in recent years, fluorescent lamps have begun to be used as tunnel lighting. This is the result of the practical use of compact and large-capacity fluorescent lamps such as Hf fluorescent lamps that are already widely used in offices and stores, and will increase in the future. It is estimated that.
[0003]
Incidentally, the fluorescent lamp has a relationship between light output and ambient temperature as shown in FIG. In other words, this has an upward convex characteristic that maximizes the light output at an ambient temperature of 25 ° C., and the change is reduced when the ambient temperature is lower than 25 ° C.
[0004]
Here, when the fluorescent lamp is used as a light source of a lighting device for a tunnel, it is necessary to improve the above-described decrease in light output at low temperatures. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-94288 discloses an improvement in the decrease in light output at low temperatures, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the illumination control system disclosed therein. This is configured to include a plurality of lighting fixtures 20k that control the light output of the fluorescent lamp by a dimming signal from the outside, and a control device 30 that outputs the dimming signals to the plurality of lighting fixtures 20k. . The control device 30 includes a temperature sensor 80 that detects the ambient temperature, a dimming signal setting unit 70 that outputs a dimming signal that is temperature-corrected according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 80, and the light output of the fluorescent lamp. And a dimming degree setting volume to be adjusted.
[0005]
In this illumination control system, the dimming signal output from the dimming signal setting unit 70 is temperature-corrected as indicated by the broken line in FIG. 6 in accordance with the ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor 80. The light output of the fluorescent lamp set by (1) does not fluctuate so much even if the ambient temperature decreases.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-94288
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in order to make it easier for the driver to drive as much as possible, the tunnel interior is brightened when the outside of the tunnel is sunny and bright, and the interior of the tunnel is also darkened when the outside of the tunnel is dark at night. It has been. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram of a tunnel illumination control system for explaining this. In this figure, 21-26 are lighting fixtures installed at predetermined intervals in the tunnel, 3 is a control device for controlling blinking of the lighting fixtures 21-26, L1-L4 are branched from the control device 3, and the lighting fixtures 21-21 Power line 4 connected to 26 is a luminance sensor that detects the luminance near the entrance of the tunnel.
[0008]
This discriminates whether the outside of the tunnel is sunny or late at night according to the luminance detected by the luminance sensor 4, and for example, if it is discriminated as sunny, it is 21 to 21 All 26 lighting fixtures are turned on, and if it is determined that it is midnight, the lighting fixtures 21 and 23 are turned on.
[0009]
More specifically, the luminance sensor 4 first detects the luminance near the entrance / exit of the tunnel. The control device 3 determines which of the first to fourth luminance ranks the detected luminance corresponds to. Here, each brightness rank is set according to the brightness of the outside of the tunnel. The first brightness rank at midnight, the second brightness rank at night, and the third brightness rank at cloudy weather. If the sky is fine, the fourth brightness rank is set. Then, the control device 3 increases the number of lights from the lowest number corresponding to the first luminance rank (midnight) to the highest number corresponding to the fourth luminance rank (sunny sky) according to the determined luminance rank. The number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 is controlled.
[0010]
Here, in the case of the first luminance rank (midnight), the control device 3 sends power to the power line only for L2, and lights the lighting fixtures 21 and 23 (minimum number of lights). In the case of the second luminance rank (nighttime), the control device 3 sends power to the L2 and L4 power lines to light the lighting fixtures 21, 23, 24, and 26. In the case of the third brightness rank (cloudy weather), the control device 3 sends power to the L2, L3, and L4 power lines to light the lighting fixtures 21, 23, 24, 25, and 26. Further, in the case of the fourth luminance rank (sunny sky), the control device 3 sends power to all the power lines L1 to L4 to light all the lighting fixtures 21 to 26.
[0011]
By operating the tunnel illumination control system in this way, the brightness of the outside of the tunnel and the inside of the tunnel change in the same way, so that the driver can drive as easily as possible. However, when a fluorescent lamp is used as the light source of the illumination control system described above, as described with reference to FIG. 5, when the ambient temperature is lowered, the light output is lowered, so that the tunnel is eventually obtained. The road surface inside becomes dark.
[0012]
In order to improve this, it is conceivable to use one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-94288. In this case, in order to slightly correct the output of the fluorescent lamp according to the detected ambient temperature. It is necessary to add a dimming circuit to the lighting fixture. Furthermore, it is necessary to wire a control signal line for controlling the added dimming circuit from the control device 3 toward the added dimming circuit, that is, toward the lighting fixtures 21 to 26.
[0013]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described reasons, and the object of the present invention is to reduce the ambient temperature by reducing the ambient temperature without newly adding control wiring between the control device and the lighting fixture. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tunnel illumination control system that can alleviate a decrease in brightness in a tunnel even if the output decreases.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The tunnel lighting control system according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of lighting fixtures having fluorescent lamps that irradiate the inside of the tunnel, a luminance sensor that detects the luminance near the entrance of the tunnel, and the luminance detected by the luminance sensor. Corresponding to the Nth brightness rank from the lowest number of lights corresponding to the first brightness rank according to the determined brightness rank step by step in accordance with the brightness rank from the first to the Nth brightness step by step from the one with lower brightness accordingly In a lighting control system comprising a controller that controls the number of lighting of the plurality of lighting fixtures to any number up to the maximum number of lighting, an outside air temperature sensor that detects the temperature inside the tunnel or near the entrance and exit is provided, When the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor is lower than the predetermined temperature, the control device is higher than the determined brightness rank (X (1 ≦ X <N)). Characterized in that it is used to control the illumination number of the plurality of lighting fixtures so that the lighting number corresponding to One high luminance rank (X + 1).
[0015]
A tunnel lighting control system according to a second aspect of the present invention is the tunnel lighting control system according to the first aspect, wherein the plurality of lighting fixtures are within a predetermined temperature range when lit with the number of lights corresponding to the brightness rank determined by the control device. In the present invention, it is arranged so that the reference brightness of the road surface in the tunnel can be secured, and the predetermined temperature is set to a temperature equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature range.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an illumination control system. FIG. 1 (a) is a clear sky, FIG. 1 (b) is a cloudy sky, FIG. 1 (c) is a night time, and FIG. ) Indicates midnight. 2 is a block diagram of the lighting control system, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the brightness outside the tunnel and the lighting state of each lighting fixture.
[0017]
This tunnel illumination control system includes a plurality of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 having fluorescent lamps for illuminating the inside of the tunnel, a luminance sensor 4 for detecting luminance near the entrance of the tunnel, and a luminance detected by the luminance sensor 4. The control device 3 for controlling the number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26, the outside air temperature sensor 5 for detecting the temperature near the entrance of the tunnel, and the power lines L1 branched from the control device 3 and connected to the lighting fixtures 21 to 26. L4.
[0018]
The luminaires 21 to 26 are attached to the ceiling in the tunnel at substantially equal intervals, and fluorescent lamps are housed therein. As this fluorescent lamp, a small and high output lamp such as an Hf lamp is used.
[0019]
The luminance sensor 4 detects the luminance at the entrance / exit of the tunnel. Although the luminance is measured here, the illuminance may be measured with an illuminometer. It is also possible to measure the illuminance and brightness at a location slightly away from the entrance of the tunnel.
[0020]
The control device 3 discriminates the first to fourth luminance ranks step by step in accordance with the luminance detected by the luminance sensor 4 from the one having the smaller luminance, and sets the first luminance rank according to the determined luminance rank. The number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 can be controlled to any number from the corresponding minimum lighting number to the maximum lighting number corresponding to the fourth luminance rank. Further, when the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 5 is lower than the predetermined temperature Y, the control device 3 sets the brightness rank (X + 1) one higher than the determined brightness rank (X (1 ≦ X <N)). The number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 is controlled so as to correspond to the number of lighting.
[0021]
The tunnel illumination control system configured as described above determines whether the outside of the tunnel is sunny or late at night according to the brightness detected by the brightness sensor 4, and based on the determined result, for example, If it is determined that the sky is clear, all the lighting fixtures 21 to 26 are turned on, and if it is determined that the night is late, the lighting fixtures 21 and 23 are turned on.
[0022]
This operation will be described in detail. First, the luminance sensor 4 detects the luminance near the entrance of the tunnel. The control device 3 determines which of the first to fourth luminance ranks the detected luminance corresponds to. Here, each brightness rank may be the first brightness rank at midnight, the second brightness rank at night, the third brightness rank at cloudy weather, or the clear sky according to the brightness outside the tunnel. For example, the fourth brightness rank is set. Then, the control device 3 increases the number of lights from the lowest number corresponding to the first luminance rank (midnight) to the highest number corresponding to the fourth luminance rank (sunny sky) according to the determined luminance rank. The number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 is controlled.
[0023]
Here, in the case of the first luminance rank (midnight), the control device 3 sends power to the power line only for L2, and lights the lighting fixtures 21 and 23 (minimum number of lights). In the case of the second luminance rank (nighttime), the control device 3 sends power to the L2 and L4 power lines to light the lighting fixtures 21, 23, 24, and 26. In the case of the third brightness rank (cloudy weather), the control device 3 sends power to the L2, L3, and L4 power lines to light the lighting fixtures 21, 23, 24, 25, and 26. Further, in the case of the fourth luminance rank (sunny sky), the control device 3 sends power to all the power lines L1 to L4 to light all the lighting fixtures 21 to 26.
[0024]
By operating the tunnel illumination control system in this way, the brightness of the outside of the tunnel and the inside of the tunnel change in the same way, so that the driver can drive as easily as possible.
[0025]
Next, the operation when the ambient temperature becomes low will be described. When the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 5 is lower than the predetermined temperature Y, the control device 3 corresponds to a brightness rank (X + 1) that is one higher than the determined brightness rank (X (1 ≦ X <N)). The number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 is controlled so as to be the number of lighting. For example, it is assumed that the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 5 is lower than the predetermined temperature Y when the outside of the tunnel is at midnight. In this case, since midnight is the first luminance rank, the control device 3 causes the lighting fixtures 21 to 26 to have the number of lighting units corresponding to the luminance rank 2 (nighttime) that is one higher than the first luminance rank 1. Since the number of lighting devices is controlled, 21, 23, 24, and 26 lighting fixtures are turned on in the tunnel. As a result, the interior of the tunnel is originally lit with the number of lights at midnight, and the number of lights at night is lit, so even if the ambient temperature is low and the light output of the fluorescent lamp is reduced, the brightness of the tunnel The decrease can be alleviated.
[0026]
If the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 5 is lower than the predetermined temperature Y when the outside of the tunnel is nighttime, the control device 3 causes the brightness rank 3 (cloudy sky) to be one higher than the nighttime brightness rank 2. ), The number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 is controlled so as to be the number of lighting, so that even if the ambient temperature decreases and the light output of the fluorescent lamp decreases, The decrease can be alleviated.
[0027]
Next, an application example of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the ambient temperature and the brightness inside the tunnel for explaining this. This uses the same configuration as the tunnel lighting control system described above, but adds a limitation to the setting of the predetermined temperature Y.
[0028]
In the tunnel, a reference brightness P of the road surface is determined, and it may be necessary to ensure this. For example, when this is determined in the tunnel described with reference to FIG. 1, the reference brightness P of the road surface is determined according to each brightness rank (late night, night, cloudy, clear sky) as shown by the broken line in FIG. become. Normally, the number of lighting fixtures is set so that the reference luminance P can be obtained within a predetermined temperature range even if the ambient temperature is low and the light output of the fluorescent lamp is reduced. Has been placed. In other words, even if the ambient temperature decreases, the road surface reference luminance P does not fall below the predetermined temperature range as long as it is within the predetermined temperature range.
[0029]
However, if the ambient temperature is further lower than the predetermined temperature range, the road surface reference luminance cannot be secured. In such a case, the predetermined temperature Y is determined within the predetermined temperature range (reference luminance P is obtained). The temperature may be set to a temperature at which the reference brightness of the road surface in the tunnel cannot be secured.
[0030]
By configuring the tunnel lighting control system in this way, even when the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 5 is low, the reference luminance P of the road surface is set to be within the predetermined temperature range if the ambient temperature is within the predetermined temperature range. It can be secured. Further, when the ambient temperature falls below a predetermined temperature range, that is, when the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 5 becomes lower than the predetermined temperature Y, the control device 3 determines the determined brightness rank ( Since the number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 is controlled so that the number of lighting fixtures corresponds to a brightness rank (X + 1) that is one higher than X (1 ≦ X <N)), the reference of the road surface in a wide temperature range. In addition to being able to ensure the brightness P, for example, at an ambient temperature at which the light output does not decrease, such as 25 ° C., it is possible to reduce the road surface from becoming unnecessarily bright and to effectively use energy.
[0031]
Note that when examining the time when the ambient temperature decreases most with weather data, it is known that the lowest daily temperature is often recorded from night to morning, especially before sunrise. Therefore, in the tunnel lighting control system described here, the lowest temperature is most often recorded at the first or second luminance rank. In addition, it is known that the lowest temperature is rarely recorded when the weather is fine, so when the weather is clear, the temperature hardly falls below the predetermined temperature Y set below the predetermined temperature range. Estimated.
[0032]
According to this embodiment, the outside air temperature sensor 5 that detects the temperature inside the tunnel or near the entrance / exit is provided, and when the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 5 is lower than the predetermined temperature Y, the control device 3 By controlling the number of lighting fixtures 21 to 26 so as to correspond to the number of lighting ranks (X + 1) that is one higher than the determined luminance rank (X (1 ≦ X <N)), the temperature Even if the light output of the fluorescent lamp decreases due to lowering, the interior of the tunnel can be illuminated with the number of lighting units corresponding to one higher brightness rank (X + 1), so a new control wiring is provided between the control device and the lighting fixture. Without adding, it is possible to alleviate the decrease in brightness in the tunnel.
[0033]
Furthermore, the lighting fixtures 21 to 26 are arranged so that the reference brightness P of the road surface in the tunnel can be secured within a predetermined temperature range when the lighting fixtures 21 to 26 are turned on with the number of lights corresponding to the brightness rank determined by the control device 3. In addition, by setting the predetermined temperature Y to be equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature range, the reference luminance P of the road surface can be secured in a wide temperature range, and the light output such as 25 ° C. does not decrease. With temperature, it can be reduced that the road surface becomes brighter than necessary, and energy can be effectively utilized.
[0034]
In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 5 detects the temperature outside the tunnel that is slightly away from the entrance of the tunnel, but this may be the temperature inside the tunnel. Also, in this embodiment, for the sake of easy understanding, the explanation has been made with six lighting fixtures. However, normally, these six units have one span, and this is the span installation for the necessary amount in the tunnel. Has been. In addition, the method of setting the predetermined temperature Y may be a method of calculating from the unique temperature characteristics of the lighting fixture and the lighting design when installed in the tunnel, and storing this in the control device 3. desirable. In addition, this tunnel illumination control system becomes so useful that it is installed in cold regions such as Hokkaido.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
In the first aspect of the present invention, since the inside of the tunnel is irradiated with a larger number than the original number of lights without newly adding control wiring between the control device and the lighting fixture, the ambient temperature is lowered. Thus, even if the light output of the fluorescent lamp decreases, the decrease in brightness in the tunnel can be alleviated.
[0036]
In the invention described in claim 2, since the predetermined temperature is set to a temperature not more than the predetermined temperature range, the reference luminance of the road surface can be secured in a wide temperature range.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an illumination control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a clear sky, FIG. 1 (b) is a cloudy sky, and FIG. In the case of night, FIG. 1 (d) shows the case of midnight.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the illumination control system.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the brightness outside the tunnel and the lighting state of each lighting fixture in the illumination control system of the above.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an application example of the illumination control system of the above, and is a characteristic diagram showing an ambient temperature and the brightness of the inside of the tunnel.
FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the light output of a fluorescent lamp used in a lighting control system according to a conventional example and the ambient temperature.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the illumination control system of the above.
FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram of a tunnel illumination control system according to a second conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
3 Control device 4 Luminance sensor 5 Outside air temperature sensors 21 to 26 Lighting fixture Y Predetermined temperature P Road surface reference luminance

Claims (2)

A plurality of lighting fixtures having fluorescent lamps for illuminating the inside of the tunnel, a luminance sensor for detecting the luminance in the vicinity of the entrance and exit of the tunnel, and from the first step by step from the one having a lower luminance according to the luminance detected by the luminance sensor According to the brightness rank determined by discriminating the brightness ranks up to the Nth, the number of the plurality of lights is any number from the lowest number of lights corresponding to the first brightness rank to the maximum number of lights corresponding to the Nth brightness rank. An illumination control system including a controller for controlling the number of lighting fixtures, and an outside air temperature sensor that detects a temperature in the tunnel or in the vicinity of the entrance / exit is provided, and the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor is a predetermined temperature. Is lower than the determined brightness rank (X (1 ≦ X <N)), the number of lighting units corresponding to the brightness rank (X + 1) that is one higher than the determined brightness rank (X (1 ≦ X <N)). Tunnel illumination control system characterized in that for controlling the lighting number of the plurality of lighting instruments so that. The plurality of lighting fixtures are arranged so that a reference luminance of a road surface in a tunnel can be secured within a predetermined temperature range when the lighting device is lit with the number of lightings corresponding to the luminance rank determined by the control device, 3. The tunnel lighting control system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined temperature is set to a temperature not more than the predetermined temperature range.

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