JP2006342982A - Individual gas appliance operation detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an individual gas appliance operation detecting device capable of allowing a gas supplier to implement measures relating to rates without replacing or remodeling a gas appliance. <P>SOLUTION: This individual gas appliance operation detecting device comprises a gas flow detecting means 12 mounted on the way of an in-home gas passage 11, a timer 16a detecting a set amount of a time, a memory 16b for integrating and storing a detection time of the gas flow by the gas flow detecting means 12, and a display unit 17 for displaying the integrated and stored gas flow detection time. Thus the gas supplier can implement the measures relating to rates by mounting this detecting device on the in-home gas piping 11 without replacing or remodeling the gas appliance presently owned by the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an individual gas equipment operation detection device that detects a gas usage amount of a gas equipment.

  Conventionally, the amount of gas used is generally detected for each dwelling unit using a gas meter, or the gas device itself is provided with detection means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

As shown in FIG. 7, the gas supplied to the burner 1 is controlled by the proportional valve 2. The opening degree of the proportional valve 2 is detected by the proportional valve opening degree detecting means 3 and transmitted to the calculating means 4. The calculating means 4 calculates the amount of gas used from the transmitted proportional valve opening and the opening time of the proportional valve 2 measured by itself, and displays the integrated result on the display means 5.
Japanese Patent No. 3528274

  However, in the conventional configuration, if a gas company intends to take a charge measure for each use of gas, it is necessary to have a means for detecting the amount of gas used for each gas appliance. For example, if a gas company intends to take a charge measure that is limited to heating, the gas usage detector is installed in all gas heaters already owned by the user, or all gas is supplied to the user. There was a problem that it was necessary to buy a new heater.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is easy for a gas company to charge by installing it on a gas pipe in a home without replacing or remodeling the gas equipment that the user currently has. An object of the present invention is to provide an individual gas equipment operation detection device that can implement measures.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, an individual gas equipment operation detection device of the present invention is installed in the middle of a gas passage in a home and detects a gas flow for each gas equipment, and detects a certain time. A timer, a memory for accumulating and storing the time when the gas flow detection means detects the gas flow, and a display for displaying the accumulated gas flow detection time are provided.

  As a result, the gas company can easily implement the charge measure by installing it on the gas piping in the home without having to replace or modify the gas equipment that the user has now.

  The individual gas equipment operation detection device of the present invention allows a gas company to easily implement a charge measure without replacing or remodeling the gas equipment that the user currently has.

1st invention attaches in the middle of a gas passage in a home, gas flow detection means which detects gas flow for every gas equipment, a timer which detects fixed time, and time when gas flow detection means detected gas flow By using an individual gas equipment operation detection device equipped with a memory that accumulates and memorizes the gas flow detection time that has been accumulated and memorized, the user can replace or modify the gas equipment that the user currently has. Without having to do it, the gas company can easily implement the charge measures by attaching it to the gas piping in the home. In other words, if the gas company confirms the value of the indicator at the time of meter reading of the gas meter every month, the usage amount of the gas equipment to be discounted can be known. Have.

  In the second invention, in particular, in the first invention, since the connection to the gas passage in the home is based on a quick joint in both the upstream and downstream, there is no problem even if the gas equipment to be discounted is moved between rooms or replaced. It has the advantageous effect that it enables the gas company to implement a charge measure.

  According to the third invention, in particular, in the first invention, the display is separated, so that the gas company can easily enter the display without entering the house even when the user is away from the meter at the meter reading. The value can be confirmed, and there is a specific effect that a more reliable fee measure can be implemented.

  According to a fourth invention, in particular, in the third invention, a radio wave transmitter is provided on the gas flow detection means side, a radio wave receiver is provided on the separated display side, and the accumulated gas flow detection time data is received by radio waves. Sending and receiving eliminates the need for a lead wire between the gas flow detection means and the indicator, so there is no need for complicated cable wiring work from the vicinity of the gas equipment in the house to the vicinity of the gas meter outside the house. This has an advantageous effect that the degree of freedom of the installation location of the display device is increased.

  In the fifth invention, in particular, in the first invention, by transmitting the accumulated gas flow detection time data to the gas meter, the gas business operator can only check the display unit at the time of meter reading of the gas meter. It is possible to confirm the total gas usage amount of the dwelling unit and the gas usage amount that should be discounted, and it is possible to easily take charge measures.

  In particular, the sixth aspect of the invention relates to the first aspect of the invention, by transmitting the accumulated gas flow detection time data to the T-NCU, thereby using the automatic meter reading infrastructure of the gas meter using the T-NCU. It has the more advantageous effect of being able to take charge measures.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows an individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the individual gas equipment operation detection device in the present embodiment is installed in the middle of the gas passage 11 in the home and detects the gas flow for each gas equipment, and detects a certain time. A timer 16a, a memory 16b for accumulating and storing the time when the gas flow detecting means detects the gas flow, and a display 17 for displaying the accumulated gas flow detection time are provided.

  The gas flow detecting means 12 includes a butterfly element 12a that is movable in the direction of the arrow according to the gas flow in the gas passage 11, a magnet 13 attached to a movable portion of the butterfly element 12a, and a printed circuit board outside the gas passage 11. 14 and the like.

  The printed circuit board 14 is soldered with a microcomputer 16 having a timer 16a and a memory 16b and a display unit 17. Further, the upstream and downstream extensions of the gas passage of the gas passage 11 are bamboo shoot-like rubber pipe joints 18, and rubber pipes 19 are connected to the upstream and downstream sides of the rubber pipe joint 18, respectively. The side is connected to the residential gas piping, and the downstream side is connected to the gas equipment.

  Here, when a gas device is used and gas flows, the butterfly element 12 a is movable and tilted by the gas flow, and the magnet 13 approaches the reed switch 15. As a result, the reed switch 15 is turned on. At the same time that the microcomputer 16 detects that the reed switch 15 is turned on, the microcomputer 16 accumulates and counts the ON time of the reed switch 15 with its internal timer 16a and memory 16b, and counts and stores the accumulated gas flow detection time. Is displayed on the display unit 17.

  According to such a configuration, for example, when the gas appliance connected to the individual gas appliance operation detection device in the present embodiment is a gas heater and is subject to a discount on gas charges, If the value of the indicator 17 is confirmed at the time of meter reading and the value of the indicator 17 of the previous month is subtracted, the usage amount of the gas equipment for this month can be known, so that the charge measure can be taken at a specific discount rate. This is effective when the gas company wants to reduce the fee only for heating applications because it opposes heating equipment that uses oil as a heat source in terms of running costs.

  In the present embodiment, the butterfly element 12a having the magnet 13 is configured to turn on the reed switch 15 in accordance with the gas flow. However, the butterfly element 12a has an impeller shape and the gas flow rate flowing through the gas passage 11 is increased. If the impeller rotates in proportion and the magnet 13 disposed in the rotating part of the impeller turns on the reed switch 15 in proportion to the rotation of the impeller, the ON / OFF frequency of the reed switch 15 is set to gas. Since it can be handled as proportional data of the gas amount in the passage 11, a more accurate charge measure can be taken.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 shows an individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment has a female quick joint 20b having a male quick joint 20a and an O-ring 20c instead of the rubber pipe joint 18 of the first embodiment. The male quick joint 20a is a female quick joint 21a at the tip of the home gas pipe, and the female quick joint 20b is a male quick joint 21b at the tip of the gas cord, the other end of which is connected to a gas device. To be connected.

  According to such a configuration, for example, even if the gas device used by the user is changed, the connection can be easily changed by the quick joints 20a, 20b, 21a, and 21b. However, the gas company can implement the above-mentioned charge measures without any problems. The male type and female type of the quick joint may be reversed with respect to the gas flow direction.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 shows an individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment, the display 17 is not located on the printed circuit board 14 but is installed at a location separated from the gas passage 11, and is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 14 via the lead wire 22. It is what has been.

  According to such a configuration, for example, if the display device 17 is installed in the vicinity of the gas meter, the gas company can easily enter the residence without entering the residence even if the user is away at the time of meter reading of the gas meter. The value can be confirmed, and more reliable fee measures can be implemented.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 4 shows an individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first to third embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  The individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a radio wave transmitter 23 on the printed circuit board 14 on the gas flow detection means 12 side, and a radio wave receiver 24 on the separated display 17 side, and stores the accumulated values. The gas flow detection time data is transmitted and received by radio waves. A display control microcomputer 25 is electrically connected to the display 17 side.

  With this configuration, data to be displayed is transmitted from the radio wave transmitter 23, received by the radio wave receiver 24, and displayed on the display 17 by the display control microcomputer 25 that has received the data. In this case, transmission / reception by radio waves may be performed with the ON signal of the reed switch 15 and the display control microcomputer 25 may count the ON time of the reed switch 15 with its internal timer.

  According to such a configuration, since no lead wire is required between the gas flow detection means 12 and the indicator 17, complicated wiring work from the vicinity of the gas equipment in the house to the vicinity of the gas meter outside the house becomes unnecessary. Even in an existing house, there is an advantageous effect that the degree of freedom of the installation location of the display device 17 is increased.

(Embodiment 5)
FIG. 5 shows an individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first to fourth embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  The individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment is configured to transmit the accumulated gas flow detection time data to the gas meter 26.

  That is, the printed circuit board 14 and the gas meter 26 are connected via the lead wire 22 at the microcomputer meter terminal 27. The gas meter 26 includes a liquid crystal display unit 28. The microcomputer 16 transmits the ON signal of the reed switch 15 to the gas meter 26 via the lead wire 22 and the microcomputer meter terminal 27, and the gas meter 26 is a gas whose gas usage should be discounted only when there is an ON signal of the reed switch 15. Accumulated and stored as the amount used, the cumulative amount of gas passing through the gas meter 26 on the display unit 28, that is, the total amount of gas used in a single dwelling unit is displayed, and at the same time, the amount of gas to be discounted is displayed side by side. Yes.

  According to such a configuration, the gas company can confirm the total gas usage amount of the single dwelling unit and the gas usage amount to be discounted only by checking only the display unit 28 at the time of meter reading of the gas meter 26. It is possible to make a fee policy more easily.

  In this embodiment, the total gas usage of a single unit and the gas usage to be discounted are displayed side by side. However, it may be displayed in a time-sharing manner, and normally only the total gas usage of a single unit is displayed. It may be displayed, and the gas usage amount that should be discounted only when some operation is performed on the gas meter 26 may be displayed. Further, the discounted gas usage amount may be subtracted from the total gas usage amount from the gas usage amount data to be discounted, or the amount to be charged may be displayed.

  In addition, the printed circuit board 14 and the microcomputer meter terminal 27 are connected by the lead wire 22, but the wireless communication may be performed without using the lead wire 22. Further, although the microcomputer meter terminal 27 is a pair of terminals and the ON signal input of the reed switch 15 is single, a plurality of microcomputer meter terminals 27 may be provided.

(Embodiment 6)
FIG. 6 shows an individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first to fifth embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

  The individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment transmits the accumulated gas flow detection time data to the T-NCU 29. The T-NCU 29 is connected to the telephone line 30. The printed circuit board 14 and the T-NCU 29 are connected by a lead wire 22. The T-NCU 29 receives the ON signal from the reed switch 15 and counts the accumulated ON time. The T-NCU 29 counts the accumulated ON time together with the total gas amount data received from the gas meter 26 through the telephone line 30 to the computer of the gas company's office. Send and calculate discounted billing gas charges.

  Although the communication line between the T-NCU 29 and the computer of the gas company's office is a telephone line 30, if the communication charge is an ADSL or optical fiber internet line that is not proportional to the number of communications, the ON signal of the reed switch 15 Each time the T-NCU 29 receives an OFF signal, the total gas amount data of the gas meter 26 is transmitted, so that a more complicated gas charge can be calculated by the computer of the gas company's office. Further, the printed circuit board 14 and the T-NCU 29 are connected by the lead wire 22, but the communication may be performed by radio waves without using the lead wire 22.

  According to such a configuration, there is a further advantageous effect that it is possible to implement a gas charge measure using the automatic meter reading infrastructure of the gas meter using the T-NCU 29.

  As described above, the individual gas equipment operation detection device according to the present invention can be easily installed in the gas piping in the home without replacing or remodeling the gas equipment that the user currently has. Since the person can implement the fee measure, it can be applied to industrial use as well.

Sectional drawing of the individual gas equipment operation | movement detection apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention Sectional drawing of the individual gas equipment operation | movement detection apparatus in Embodiment 2 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the individual gas equipment operation | movement detection apparatus in Embodiment 3 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the separate gas equipment operation | movement detection apparatus in Embodiment 4 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the individual gas equipment operation | movement detection apparatus in Embodiment 5 of this invention. Sectional drawing of the individual gas equipment operation | movement detection apparatus in Embodiment 6 of this invention. The figure which shows the gas usage-amount detection means of the conventional gas heater

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Gas passage 12 Gas flow detection means 12a Butterfly element 13 Magnet 14 Printed circuit board 15 Reed switch 16 Microcomputer 16a Timer 16b Memory 17 Display 20a, 20b, 21a, 21b Quick joint 23 Radio wave transmitter 24 Radio wave receiver 26 Gas meter 28 Display part 29 T-NCU

Claims (6)

Gas flow detection means that is installed in the middle of the gas passage in the home and detects the gas flow for each gas device, a timer that detects a certain time, and a memory that accumulates and stores the time when the gas flow detection means detects the gas flow An individual gas appliance operation detection device comprising an indicator for displaying the accumulated gas flow detection time. The individual gas equipment operation detection device according to claim 1, wherein the connection to the gas passage in the home is made by a quick joint both upstream and downstream. The individual gas equipment operation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is separated. The individual gas appliance operation detection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a radio wave transmitter is provided on the gas flow detection means side and a radio receiver is provided on the separated display side, and the accumulated gas flow detection time data is transmitted and received by radio waves. . The individual gas equipment operation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accumulated gas flow detection time data is transmitted to a gas meter. The individual gas equipment operation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accumulated gas flow detection time data is transmitted to the T-NCU.

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