JP2006337067A - Pyroelectric-type infrared gas detector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pyroelectric-type infrared gas detector with the start-up time of its pyroelectric-type infrared sensor drastically shortened. <P>SOLUTION: This pyroelectric-type infrared gas detector is equipped with a signal processing circuit comprising: a filter circuit for removing a DC component in a sensor output signal outputted from the pyroelectric-type infrared sensor; and a boost circuit for boosting the signal level of the output signal with its DC component removed therefrom by the filter circuit so that the signal level becomes prescribed reference electric potential. The boost circuit is characterized by comprises a switching element for mutually switching the filter circuit between two states different from each other in a time constant. In starting the infrared sensor, the switching element is brought into an operating state to set the filter circuit in a state where the time constant is small. When a prescribed period of time elapses after the infrared sensor is started, the switching element is brought into a non-operating state to switch the filter circuit into a state where the time constant is large. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pyroelectric infrared gas detector, and more particularly to a pyroelectric infrared gas detector having a signal processing circuit that performs predetermined signal processing on a sensor output signal output from a pyroelectric infrared sensor. .

  For example, in some pyroelectric infrared gas detectors, for example, an infrared light source that flashes at a certain cycle is disposed in an opening on one end side of a cylindrical chamber, and a focus is placed on the opening on the other end side of the chamber. The electric infrared sensor includes a gas detection unit arranged opposite to the infrared light source. For example, a signal processing circuit 55 as shown in FIG. 6 outputs a sensor output signal output from the pyroelectric infrared sensor 50. Predetermined signal processing is performed and output.

The signal processing for the sensor output signal will be described in detail. First, the infrared light emitted from the infrared light source 53 is periodically (intermittently) supplied to the pyroelectric element 51 to obtain a continuous current signal. This current signal is output as a voltage signal by impedance conversion by the field effect transistor (FET) 52.
In the voltage signal (sensor output signal) output from the pyroelectric infrared sensor 50, the AC component from the pyroelectric element 51, which is weaker than the DC component, is superimposed on the DC component caused by the field effect transistor 52. If the signal is output in this state, the signal component (alternating current component) related to the gas response cannot be detected with sufficiently high reliability, and the capacitor C and the resistor R3 are connected in series. The direct current component in the sensor output signal is removed by the filter circuit 56 thus formed, and then amplified and output by the amplifier 57 with the set gain.

Therefore, in the filter circuit 56 in the signal processing circuit having such a configuration, the signal width of the gas response signal is necessary for performing sufficiently reliable concentration detection (in order to increase the S / N ratio). A resistor R3 having a relatively high resistance value is used so as to have a large size.
However, in such a filter circuit 56, since the resistor R3 has a high resistance value, it takes a long time to charge and discharge the capacitor C, and it takes a long time to stabilize the output, that is, start-up. There is a problem that time is slow.

In order to solve such problems, a signal processing circuit having a current-voltage conversion circuit using an OP amplifier, for example, is provided in order to improve the start-up characteristic at the start of the pyroelectric infrared sensor (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Etc.) have been proposed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-267759

  The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and has a signal processing circuit having a novel configuration for performing predetermined signal processing on a sensor output signal from a pyroelectric infrared sensor. An object of the present invention is to provide a pyroelectric infrared gas detector capable of greatly shortening the startup time of the pyroelectric infrared sensor.

The pyroelectric infrared gas detector of the present invention includes a signal processing circuit that performs predetermined signal processing on the sensor output signal output from the pyroelectric infrared sensor.
The signal processing circuit includes: a filter circuit that removes a DC component in the sensor output signal; and a boost circuit that boosts the signal level of the sensor output signal from which the DC component has been removed by the filter circuit to a predetermined reference potential. Have
The boost circuit includes a switch element that switches the filter circuit between two states having different time constants,
When the pyroelectric infrared sensor is activated, the switch element is activated, the filter circuit is set to a state with a small time constant, and after a predetermined time has elapsed since the pyroelectric infrared sensor was activated, the switch The element is inactivated and the filter circuit is switched to a state with a large time constant.

  In the pyroelectric infrared gas detector of the present invention, it is preferable that the time during which the switch element in the boost circuit is in the operating state is 0.1 to 10 seconds.

  In the pyroelectric infrared gas detector of the present invention, the time constant of the filter circuit when the switch element is in the operating state is 20 times the time constant of the filter circuit when the switch element is in the non-operating state. It is preferable that the configuration is set so as to be equal to or less than%.

  According to the pyroelectric infrared gas detector of the present invention, when performing signal processing on the sensor output signal immediately after activation of the pyroelectric infrared sensor, by performing ON / OFF control of the switch element in the boost circuit, the filter circuit Since the time constant is set to an appropriate state, immediately after the pyroelectric infrared sensor is activated, the sensor output signal is forcibly raised to the reference potential and then the signal width is sufficient. Therefore, the time required for the sensor output to stabilize, that is, the startup time of the pyroelectric infrared sensor can be greatly shortened.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an example of the pyroelectric infrared gas detector of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a signal processing circuit of the pyroelectric infrared gas detector shown in FIG. It is.
The pyroelectric infrared gas detector includes a gas detection unit 10 that outputs a gas detection signal corresponding to the concentration of a detection target gas contained in a gas to be introduced, and each component of the pyroelectric infrared gas detector. And a control unit 20 including a signal processing circuit 30 for generating a predetermined operation command signal and performing predetermined signal processing on the sensor output signal output from the gas detection unit 10.

The gas detection unit 10 includes, for example, a cylindrical gas cell 11 into which a test gas is introduced, an infrared light source 12 provided on one end side (left end side in FIG. 1) of the gas cell 11, and the other end side of the gas cell 11 ( For example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor (hereinafter simply referred to as “infrared sensor”) 15 provided to face the infrared light source 12 on the right end side in FIG.
In the gas cell 11, a plurality of gas inflow / outlet ports 11 </ b> A are formed so as to be spaced apart from each other in the optical axis direction of the infrared light source 12 (left and right direction in FIG. 1).

  The infrared light source 12 is driven to blink by the light source driving circuit 21 in the control unit 20 in a state where the luminance is modulated so as to change in a sine wave shape at a constant cycle.

  The infrared sensor 15 includes a current-voltage conversion circuit 17 that converts a current signal output from the pyroelectric element 16 into a voltage signal. The current-voltage conversion circuit 17 includes a field effect in which the pyroelectric element 16 is connected to a gate. A transistor 18, an internal resistor R 1 connected in parallel to the pyroelectric element 16, and a receiving resistor R 2 interposed between the source of the field effect transistor 18 and the ground. Here, the reception resistor R <b> 2 may be configured (externally connected) to the outside of the infrared sensor 15.

  The control unit 20 performs signal processing, which will be described later, on the sensor output signal from the infrared sensor 15, and a gas detection signal input via the signal processing circuit 30 as a digital signal (A / D value). And A / D conversion means 22 for converting the digital signal obtained by the A / D conversion means 22 to the digital signal obtained by the A / D conversion means 22 and, for example, a microcomputer 23 for calculating an instruction output value for display. Have. Reference numeral 24 denotes D / A conversion means for converting an analog signal from the microcomputer 23 into a digital signal as an operation command signal for the light source driving circuit 21.

  The signal processing circuit 30 includes a filter circuit 31 that removes a DC component in the sensor output signal output from the infrared sensor 15 and a signal level of a sensor output signal from which the DC component has been removed (hereinafter referred to as a “gas response signal”). Is boosted to a predetermined reference potential, for example, 2.5 V, and an amplifier 40 that amplifies and outputs the gas response signal with a set gain (amplification factor).

  The filter circuit 31 functions as a high-pass filter circuit, and includes a capacitor C having a predetermined capacitance, and a resistor (hereinafter referred to as a resistor having a relatively high resistance value) connected in series to the output side of the capacitor C. And R3 and a resistance R4 having a resistance value sufficiently lower than that of the high resistance R3.

  The boost circuit 35 is connected in parallel to the reference voltage power source 32 that applies a DC bias to the gas response signal via the high resistance R3 and the resistance R4 in the filter circuit 31, and the high resistance R3 in the filter circuit 31, for example. A switching element comprising a field effect transistor 36, a microcomputer 37 connected to the gate G of the field effect transistor 36, a pull-down resistor R5 interposed between the gate G of the field effect transistor 36 and the ground, It has.

The field effect transistor 36 has a function of switching the filter circuit 31 between states having different time constants.
Specifically, when the field effect transistor 36 is in a non-operating state (boost circuit OFF state), the filter circuit 31 includes the capacitor C, the high resistance R3, and the resistance R4, and has a large time constant τ1. On the other hand, when the field effect transistor 36 is in the operating state (boost circuit ON state), the high resistance R3 is short-circuited, so that the filter circuit 31 is configured by the capacitor C and the resistance R4. The time constant τ2 is set to a small state.

  The time constant τ2 of the filter circuit 31 when the field effect transistor 36 is in an operating state is 20% or less of the time constant τ1 of the filter circuit 31 when the field effect transistor 36 is in a non-operating state. It is preferable that it is set to. As a result, the signal level of the gas response signal can be rapidly increased to a predetermined reference potential, and sufficiently high response can be obtained, in other words, speed can be increased.

In designing the signal processing circuit 30, particularly the filter circuit 31, in the pyroelectric infrared gas detector having the above configuration, for example, the capacitor C and the high resistance R3 are basically sufficiently large in the boost circuit OFF state. If the gas response signal having a signal width of ## EQU2 ## is selected, the resistance R4 is not particularly limited, and the resistor R4 is a filter in the boost circuit ON state in relation to the capacitance of the capacitor C. There is no particular limitation as long as the time constant τ2 of the circuit 31 is selected to be a predetermined magnitude.
As a specific configuration example of the filter circuit 31, a capacitor C having a capacitance of 22 μF, a high resistance R3 having a resistance value of 200 kΩ, and a resistor R4 having a resistance value of 1 kΩ are used. In the filter circuit 31 having such a configuration, the time constant τ1 when the field effect transistor 36 is in the non-operating state is 4.4 seconds, and the field effect transistor 36 is in the operating state. The time constant τ2 at 0.02 seconds.

The pyroelectric infrared gas detector having the above-described configuration operates as follows. When the infrared light source 12 is driven to blink at a predetermined cycle, for example, 0.5 sec, the infrared light emitted from the infrared light source 12 is periodically (intermittently) supplied to the pyroelectric element 16 so that a continuous current signal is obtained. Is obtained.
The current signal output from the pyroelectric element 16 is converted into a voltage signal by the internal resistor R1 and applied to the gate of the field effect transistor 18, whereby the field effect transistor 18 is directed from the source to the drain. A drain current flows, whereby a source voltage is generated in the receiving resistor R2, and this source voltage is output as a sensor output signal. Here, as described above, the sensor output signal output from the infrared sensor 15 has a peak value corresponding to the concentration of the gas to be detected in the gas to be detected introduced into the gas cell 11. Is superimposed.
The sensor output signal has a DC component removed by the filter circuit 31 and the signal level is boosted (boosted) to a reference potential by applying a voltage of a predetermined magnitude from the reference voltage power supply 32. Thereafter, the signal is amplified and output by the amplifier 40 with the set amplification factor (gain).
Thereafter, the digital signal is converted into a digital signal (A / D value) by the A / D conversion means 22, and specific signal processing is performed on the digital signal obtained thereby, for example, an instruction output value for display is calculated. .

Thus, in the pyroelectric infrared gas detector, the boost circuit 35 includes a switching element including the field effect transistor 36, and the field effect transistor 36 is ON / OFF controlled to start the infrared sensor 15. The time constant of the filter circuit 31 immediately after is controlled to an appropriate state.
More specifically, immediately after activation of the infrared sensor 15, a boost signal (gate voltage) from the microcomputer 37 is applied to the gate G of the field effect transistor 36, so that the source S of the field effect transistor 36 A state in which a current flows toward the drain D, that is, the field effect transistor 36 is turned on (conductive state), and the high resistance R3 is short-circuited.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 3, since the resistance value of the resistor R4 is small, the capacitor C is quickly charged and discharged, and the signal level of the gas response signal is rapidly raised to the reference potential. become. However, if this state is maintained, as shown in FIG. 4, the startup time of the infrared sensor is greatly shortened, but the signal width necessary for sufficiently reliable density detection is reduced. It is not possible to obtain a gas response signal.
Therefore, in the infrared gas detector having the above-described configuration, the application of the gate voltage to the field effect transistor 36 in the boost circuit 35 is stopped after a predetermined time, for example, 3 seconds has elapsed since the activation of the infrared sensor 15, and the filter circuit 31 is switched so that its time constant is large. In this state, since the combined resistance of the high resistance R3 and the resistance R4 is sufficiently large, the gas response signal has a sufficient signal width.
The operation time (boost time) of the boost circuit 35 is preferably, for example, 0.1 to 10 seconds, so that a required output rising characteristic can be obtained with certainty.

  As described above, in the signal processing circuit 30 in the pyroelectric infrared gas detector, in order to make the gas response signal have a sufficient signal width, the resistance value as a resistor constituting the filter circuit 31 is relatively small. In consideration of the startup time of the infrared sensor 15, it is desirable to use a resistor having a relatively small resistance as the resistor constituting the filter circuit 31 in order to shorten the sensor startup time. desirable.

However, according to the pyroelectric infrared gas detector configured as described above, when the infrared sensor 15 is activated, the field effect transistor 36 is set in an operating state, and the filter circuit 31 is set to a state in which the time constant is small. When a predetermined time elapses after the infrared sensor 15 is activated, the field effect transistor 36 is deactivated and the filter circuit 31 is switched to a state in which the time constant is large, whereby the infrared sensor 15 is activated. Since the time constant of the filter circuit 31 is set to an appropriate state, immediately after activation of the infrared sensor 15, the signal level of the gas response signal can be rapidly increased to the reference potential, and the signal level is increased to the reference potential. After that, the signal can have a sufficient signal width, and therefore the infrared sensor 1 The start-up time can be greatly shortened.
Specifically, for example, if the signal processing circuit does not have a boost circuit (the time constant is 4.4 seconds), as shown in FIG. According to the signal processing circuit of the present invention, for example, when the boost time is set to 3 seconds, for example, the sensor output can be stabilized within 5 seconds after the infrared sensor 15 is activated.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various change can be added.
For example, the switch elements constituting the boost circuit are not limited to field effect transistors (FETs), and for example, bipolar transistors, analog switches, mechanical relays, and the like can be used.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of a structure in an example of the pyroelectric infrared gas detector of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the signal processing circuit in the pyroelectric infrared gas detector shown in FIG. It is a graph which shows the output waveform of the gas response signal obtained in the pyroelectric infrared gas detector shown in FIG. It is a graph which shows the output waveform of the gas response signal in the state by which the time constant of the filter circuit was 0.02 sec. It is a graph which shows the output waveform of the gas response signal in the state by which the time constant of the filter circuit was 4.4 sec. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the signal processing circuit in the conventional pyroelectric infrared gas detector.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Gas detection part 11 Gas cell 11A Gas inflow / outlet 12 Infrared light source 15 Pyroelectric infrared sensor 16 Pyroelectric element 17 Current-voltage conversion circuit 18 Field effect transistor 20 Control part 21 Light source drive circuit 22 A / D conversion means 23 Microcomputer 24 D / A conversion means 30 signal processing circuit 31 filter circuit 32 reference voltage power supply 35 boost circuit 36 field effect transistor 37 microcomputer 40 amplifier G gate S source D drain C capacitor R1 internal resistance R2 reception resistance R3, R4 resistance R5 pull-down resistance 50 focus Electric infrared sensor 51 Pyroelectric element 52 Field effect transistor 53 Infrared light source 55 Signal processing circuit 56 Filter circuit 57 Amplifier

Claims (3)

In a pyroelectric infrared gas detector including a signal processing circuit that performs predetermined signal processing on a sensor output signal output from a pyroelectric infrared sensor,
The signal processing circuit includes: a filter circuit that removes a DC component in the sensor output signal; and a boost circuit that boosts the signal level of the sensor output signal from which the DC component has been removed by the filter circuit to a predetermined reference potential. Have
The boost circuit includes a switch element that switches the filter circuit between two states having mutually different time constants. When the pyroelectric infrared sensor is activated, the switch element is activated and the filter circuit is activated. The time constant is set to a small state, and after a predetermined time has elapsed since the pyroelectric infrared sensor was activated, the switch element is deactivated and the filter circuit is switched to a state with a large time constant. A pyroelectric infrared gas detector.   2. The pyroelectric infrared gas detector according to claim 1, wherein the switch element in the boost circuit is operated for 0.1 to 10 seconds.   The time constant of the filter circuit when the switch element is in an operating state is set to a state that is 20% or less of the time constant of the filter circuit when the switch element is in a non-operating state. The pyroelectric infrared gas detector according to claim 1 or 2.