JP2008107140A - Gas control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems wherein, since information of shut-off or plug opening of a gas control device is not transferred to a centralized monitoring center, the information cannot be collected into the centralized monitoring center, and thereby, for example, proper countermeasure to a specific region cannot be urged. <P>SOLUTION: This device includes a gas valve 1 for shutting off gas supply or for plug opening therefor to a gas apparatus through a gas channel, an earthquake-sensing means 3 for detecting vibration of an earthquake or the like, and a communication means 2 for communicating with the centralized monitoring center 11. When gas supply to the gas apparatus is shut off by controlling the gas valve 1 by a signal detected by the earthquake-sensing means 3, gas shut-off information by sensing the earthquake is transmitted to the centralized monitoring center 11 by the communication means 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas control device for ensuring safety in use of gas.

Conventionally, in this type of control device, there is one that makes an emergency call when a security event occurs (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-195518 A

  However, in the conventional gas control device, each gas control device performs only the operation in accordance with the instruction according to the information from the central monitoring center. For example, it was not possible to promote appropriate responses to specific areas.

  In order to solve the above problems, the gas control device of the present invention transmits various necessary information from the gas control device to the centralized monitoring center as required.

  According to this, the centralized monitoring center can make various determinations and perform various responses.

  Since the gas control apparatus of the present invention transmits various necessary information to the centralized monitoring center as necessary, the centralized monitoring center can make various determinations and perform various responses. For example, if the centralized monitoring center obtains more than the specified amount of the same type of information from a specific area, it judges that the situation is spreading to the entire specific area and issues a command to the gas control device to shut off the gas. Can do.

  The first invention comprises a gas valve for shutting off or opening the supply of gas to the gas appliance through the gas flow path, and a communication means for communicating with the central monitoring center, in accordance with instructions from the central monitoring center, The gas valve is controlled to shut off or open the gas supply to the gas appliance.

  According to this, since it is possible to communicate with the centralized monitoring center, it is possible to operate in accordance with the support from the centralized monitoring center, and it is possible to transmit information to the centralized monitoring center and promote appropriate responses.

  A second invention includes a gas valve for shutting off or opening a gas supply to a gas appliance through a gas flow path, a seismic sensing means for detecting a vibration such as an earthquake, and a communication means for communicating with a centralized monitoring center. When the gas valve is controlled by the signal detected by the seismic means to shut off the gas supply to the gas appliance, the communication means transmits the gas cutoff information due to the seismic motion to the centralized monitoring center. To do.

According to this, since the seismic cutoff can be transmitted to the centralized monitoring center when the seismic cutoff is made, the centralized monitoring center analyzes with the information of other gas control device groups and issues an instruction for appropriate treatment. be able to.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gas valve that shuts off or opens a gas supply to a gas appliance through a gas flow path, a gas supply availability determination unit that determines whether or not to supply a gas to the gas appliance, and a centralized monitoring center A communication means for communicating with the gas supply, the gas supply availability determination means determines to cut off the gas supply to the gas appliance, and controls the gas valve to cut off the gas supply to the gas appliance. In addition, the communication means transmits gas cutoff information by the gas supply availability determination means to the centralized monitoring center.

  According to this, when gas is shut off by means of gas supply availability, the fact can be communicated to the centralized monitoring center, so the centralized monitoring center can provide instructions for appropriate treatment based on the information and contact customers. Can emit content.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gas valve for shutting off or opening a gas supply to a gas appliance through a gas flow path, a pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure in the gas pipe, and a communication means for communicating with the centralized monitoring center. The pressure detection means detects whether or not the gas pipe is damaged when receiving an opening instruction after shutting off the gas supply to the gas appliance from the centralized monitoring center, and leaks gas etc. Only when it is determined that there is no gas, the gas valve is controlled to open the gas supply to the gas appliance.

  According to this, when opening support from the centralized monitoring center is received, it is safe because the gas is opened only when pipe leakage is detected and it is determined to be safe.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gas valve for shutting off or opening a gas supply to a gas appliance through a gas flow path, a pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure in the gas pipe, and a communication means for communicating with the centralized monitoring center. And when the opening instruction is received after the gas supply to the gas appliance is shut off, the pressure detection means detects whether or not the gas pipe is damaged, and determines that there is no gas leakage or the like. Only when the gas valve is controlled to open the gas supply to the gas appliance, the opening information is transmitted to the centralized monitoring center by the communication means.

  According to this, when opening support from the centralized monitoring center is received, it is possible to detect the pipe leak and determine that it is safe and transmit the information that has been opened to the centralized monitoring center. Based on information from each gas control device, it is possible to grasp the state of breakage of the gas piping.

  A sixth invention includes a gas valve that shuts off or opens a gas supply to the gas appliance through the gas flow path, and a communication means with the information display terminal, and controls the gas valve to supply the gas appliance to the gas appliance. When the gas supply is shut off or opened, the current state is displayed on the information display terminal.

  According to this, it is possible to accurately and promptly communicate to the customer that the gas has been shut off or opened according to the instructions from the central monitoring center, thus avoiding confusion of the customer and congestion of public lines such as telephone calls. can do.

  The seventh invention comprises communication means for communicating with the centralized monitoring center, and communication with the centralized monitoring center is performed by wireless communication.

  According to this, since communication can be performed by dedicated wireless communication, appropriate measures can be quickly performed without further congesting the public line in the event of a disaster or the like.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the communication means is integrated with the gas valve control board in the gas meter incorporating the gas valve, and communicates with the centralized monitoring center for communicating with the information display terminal device. The communication means are distinguished and provided so as to be detachable.

  According to this, since communication with the information display terminal device or the centralized monitoring center is possible only by installing a gas meter, there is no need to separately connect a communication adapter to the gas control device and secure a communication line. The communication means between the information display terminal device and the centralized monitoring center is detachable via a connector, etc., so that the combination of communication means can be achieved. By selecting, it is possible to freely select a communication destination, and it is possible to easily ensure an appropriate communication form according to the application.

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

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a gas control device according to the present invention and a gas control system including the same. The gas control device 15 includes a gas valve 1, a flow rate measuring means 16 for measuring a passing flow rate, a communication means 2 for communicating with a centralized monitoring center, a seismic means 3 for detecting a vibration such as an earthquake, and a gas appliance. The gas supply availability determination means 4 for determining whether or not the gas can be supplied to the gas, the pressure detection means 5 for detecting the pressure in the gas pipe, and the communication means 6 with the information display terminal 14, each of these configuration means Are housed in one case to form a gas meter 17 that is installed at the entrance of the gas supply pipe 7 of each household, and is connected to the domestic gas appliance 9 by a single gas flow path 8. The communication unit 2 communicates with the centralized monitoring center 11 via the base station 10 installed in the wireless communicable range, and the communication unit 6 communicates with the information display terminal 14.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the gas meter 17 incorporating the gas control device 15 is provided with the gas valve 1 for shutting off the gas flow path at the inlet side of the gas pipe, and the gas flow path at an appropriate position on the downstream side thereof. A flow rate measuring means 16 for measuring the passing flow rate, for example, an ultrasonic sensor is disposed therein, and a pressure detecting means 5 is disposed downstream thereof. When the gas appliance 9 is used and gas is supplied in the above arrangement, the flow rate measuring means 9 detects a flow rate signal, and the detected flow rate signal is sent to the control circuit 18, which converts the flow rate signal into a flow rate value. The flow rate value data is used to manage gas usage and monitor abnormal flow rates.

  Further, the control circuit 18 includes a drive circuit for driving the gas valve 2 and a gas supply availability determination means 4 for determining whether or not the gas supply is possible based on various information from the flow rate measurement means 9, the pressure detection means 5, and the vibration sensing means 3. Further, the communication means 2 for transmitting / receiving various information to / from the centralized monitoring center 11 via the base station 10 and the communication means 6 for communicating with the information display terminal 14 are integrally incorporated. And the communication means 6 are distinguished from each other and are detachably incorporated via a control circuit 18 and a connector. Moreover, the compact gas control apparatus 15 can be comprised by mounting in the control circuit 18 of the seismic sensing means 3 integrally.

  With this integrated configuration, communication with the information display terminal 14 or the centralized monitoring center 11 is possible simply by installing the gas meter 17, so that a communication adapter is separately connected to the gas control device to secure a communication line as in the past. Therefore, it is possible to save work and to secure a compact installation form. Further, the communication means 2 and 6 between the information display terminal 14 and the centralized monitoring center 11 can be freely attached and detached via a connector 19. Therefore, the communication destination can be freely selected by selecting a combination of the communication means 2 and 6, and an appropriate communication form according to the application can be easily ensured.

The contents of communication with the centralized monitoring center 11 vary depending on the requested function, but here, an example regarding wide area control due to a disaster will be described.

  When the seismic sensing means 3 detects a vibration, the contents (strength, frequency, etc.) of the vibration are transmitted to the gas supply availability determination means 4, and the gas supply availability determination means 4 determines whether the vibration is an earthquake or a mere impact vibration. If it is determined that there is an earthquake, the gas valve 1 disposed between the gas introduction pipe 7 and the gas supply pipe 8 is closed to cut off the gas supply.

  Then, the communication means 2 transmits the contents of the earthquake and the fact that the earthquake has been cut off to the centralized monitoring center 11 via the base station 10 by radio waves.

Further, the contents of the earthquake and the fact that the earthquake has been interrupted are also transmitted from the communication means 6 to the information display terminal 14.
Since the central monitoring center 11 accepts not only information from the gas shut-off device 15 but also information from other gas shut-off devices 12, 13, etc., whether the information about the shut-off by the earthquake from the gas shut-off device 15 is correct or misdiagnosed. Is determined by analyzing information from other gas shut-off device groups.

  If the judgment of the gas shut-off device 15 is correct, if there is a gas shut-off device in the surrounding area that is not seismically shut off, the central monitoring center 11 for the gas shut-off device that has not been seismically shut off to ensure safety Issue a shut-off command.

  If there is no seismic shut-off information in the information from other gas shut-off device groups, it is determined that the gas shut-off device 15 is shut off due to an earthquake, and the central monitoring center 11 determines On the other hand, it issues a command to open the valve after confirming safety.

  Receiving the valve opening command via the base station 10, the gas shut-off device 15 can instantaneously open and close one gas valve, check the pressure state of the pressure detecting means 5, and determine that there is no abnormality such as damage to the gas piping. The gas valve 1 is opened only when the gas is supplied to the gas appliance 9.

  Also at this time, the communication means 2 notifies the centralized monitoring center 11 that the safety has been opened via the base station 10 by radio waves. In addition, the communication means 6 also notifies the information display terminal 14 that it has been erroneously blocked and that the valve has been opened.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, by transmitting the contents determined and executed by the gas control device to the centralized monitoring center, the centralized monitoring center can grasp the situation of the entire region. Appropriate measures can be encouraged, and local safety is improved.

  By the way, in the embodiment, an example of an earthquake disaster has been described. However, if an appropriate sensor is provided in the gas control device, it can be applied to countermeasures against water damage, fire, crime prevention, and the like.

  Also, in the embodiment, the example of disaster was explained, but gas shutoff and release are effective even in the case of gas construction, and in the case of wide area gas construction, etc., if this system is used for notification to customers, etc. The cost of notification by mail can be reduced, and the contents can be easily transmitted even when the plan is changed.

  In the embodiment, the communication between the gas control device and the centralized monitoring center has been described by wireless communication. However, the communication on the public line may be performed using a means that does not cause congestion of the general public line.

Also, when checking the safety when the valve is opened after shutting off the gas, if the cock of the gas appliance 9 is in an open state, it will not be possible to judge whether the gas piping is abnormal, but recent gas appliances are equipped with safety devices. Therefore, in most cases, the gas cock closes when the gas supply is cut off and goes out. When more certainty is expected, a communication unit may be provided between the gas control device and each gas appliance, and an appropriate command may be issued from the gas control device to each gas appliance.

  Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to the matters shown in the above-described embodiments, and those skilled in the art may modify or apply the description based on the description of the specification and well-known techniques. The present invention is intended to be included in the scope for which protection is sought.

  According to the gas control device of the present invention, a safer and more convenient gas environment can be constructed in cooperation with the centralized monitoring center.

Gas control system diagram according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Internal configuration diagram of the gas meter in the gas control system

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gas valve 2 Communication means 4 Gas supply availability judgment means 11 Centralized monitoring center 15 Gas control apparatus

Claims (8)

A gas valve that shuts off or opens the gas supply to the gas appliance through the gas flow path, and a communication means that communicates with the central monitoring center, and controls the gas valve in accordance with an instruction from the central monitoring center. A gas control device for shutting off or opening a gas supply to the gas appliance. A gas valve for shutting off or opening a gas supply to the gas appliance through the gas flow path; a seismic means for detecting a vibration such as an earthquake; and a communication means for communicating with a centralized monitoring center. A gas control device that transmits gas cutoff information due to seismic sensing to the centralized monitoring center by the communication means when the gas valve is controlled by the signal detected by the means to cut off the gas supply to the gas appliance. Communication that communicates with a centralized monitoring center, a gas valve that shuts off or opens a gas supply to a gas appliance through a gas flow path, a gas supply availability determination unit that determines whether or not to supply gas to the gas appliance, and a centralized monitoring center Means for determining whether or not to supply gas to the gas appliance, and when the gas valve is controlled to cut off the gas supply to the gas appliance, the communication means A gas control device that transmits gas cutoff information by a gas supply availability determination means to the centralized monitoring center. A gas valve for shutting off or opening a gas supply to the gas appliance through the gas flow path, a pressure detecting means for detecting the pressure in the gas pipe, and a communication means for communicating with a centralized monitoring center, When receiving a plug opening instruction after shutting off the gas supply to the gas appliance from the monitoring center, the pressure detection means detects the presence or absence of damage to the gas pipe and determines that there is no gas leak etc. A gas control device that only opens the gas supply to the gas appliance by controlling the gas valve. A gas valve that shuts off or opens the gas supply to the gas appliance through the gas flow path, a pressure detection means that detects the pressure in the gas pipe, and a communication means that communicates with the centralized monitoring center. When receiving a plug opening instruction after shutting off the gas supply to the appliance, the pressure detection means detects the presence or absence of damage to the gas pipe, and the gas valve is turned on only when it is determined that there is no gas leakage or the like. 5. The gas control device according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply device is controlled to open a gas supply to the gas appliance, and the opening information is transmitted to the centralized monitoring center by the communication means. A gas valve for shutting off or opening the gas supply to the gas appliance through the gas flow path; and a communication means for communicating with the information display terminal. The gas valve is controlled to shut off or open the gas supply to the gas appliance. The gas control device according to claim 1, wherein when plugged, the current state is displayed on the information display terminal. The gas control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that communicates with the central monitoring center, wherein the communication with the central monitoring center is performed by wireless communication. The communication means is integrated with the gas valve control board in the gas meter incorporating the gas valve, and the communication means for communicating with the information display terminal device is distinguished from the communication means for communicating with the centralized monitoring center. The gas control device according to claim 1, wherein the gas control device is provided and detachable.