JP2008269439A - Gas meter, gas leakage alarm and gas security system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely report a gas user of the cause of cutoff at a gas leakage alarm side when gas is not available by cutoff by a cutoff valve, in a gas security system wherein a gas meter and the gas leakage alarm are connected. <P>SOLUTION: This gas meter 1 is connected to the gas leakage alarm 2, and has: the cutoff valve such as a two-way cutoff valve 15a; a detection part detecting abnormality based on output from a sensor part 12, or the output and output from the gas leakage alarm 2; a cutoff control part performing control to cut off the cutoff valve when the abnormality is detected in the detection part; and a signal sending part sending a signal (a cutoff notification signal) showing that the cutoff valve is cut off to the gas leakage alarm 2. As the cutoff notification signal, the signal allowing the gas leakage alarm 2 side to distinguish the cutoff cause is sent. The gas leakage alarm 2 side receives the cutoff cause-classified cutoff notification signal, and notifies the gas user about contents corresponding thereto by a display part 23 or a voice output part 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas meter, a gas leak alarm, and a gas security system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a gas meter to which a gas leak alarm can be connected, the gas leak alarm, and a gas security system formed by connecting them.

  Conventionally, in order to supply city gas and LP gas to a house or the like, an electronic gas meter (also referred to as a microcomputer meter) having a communication function has been installed in the house or the like. Furthermore, in order to detect a gas leak, a gas leak alarm connected to the gas meter is installed in the room.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a gas security system in which a gas meter with a gas cutoff valve and a gas leak alarm are connected. In this gas security system, the gas meter is provided with means for detecting a signal corresponding to the presence or absence of gas leak from the gas leak alarm device and a signal sending means for passing a signal from the gas meter to the gas leak alarm device. The status of the gas leak alarm is monitored.

  In this gas meter, it is possible to detect the occurrence of gas leak by monitoring the state of the gas leak alarm and close the shut-off valve. In the gas leak alarm, the alarm sound (buzzer) is based on the signal sent by the signal sending means. ) Can be recognized by indoor gas users. In addition, this gas meter shuts off the shut-off valve and sends a signal to the gas leak alarm by detecting a shake by a seismic detector (earthquake sensor). The gas leak alarm receives the signal. A warning sound is sounded.

  Patent Document 2 discloses that in a gas alarm cutoff system in which a gas meter and a gas leak alarm are connected, the shut-off valve is shut off by a gas leak alarm signal from the gas leak alarm or is shut off due to other reasons. There has been disclosed a technique for allowing a user to recognize whether or not a valve has been shut off by making a different alarm sound sounded on the gas leak alarm side. In this system, on the gas meter side, a shutoff notification signal is sent to the gas leak alarm device, and on the gas leak alarm side, whether the shutoff due to the gas leak is determined by whether or not the gas leak alarm signal is issued before the shutoff notification signal. Judgment is made by other causes.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a cutoff notification signal sent from the gas meter to the gas leak alarm in the system described in Patent Document 2. In this system, when the continuous use time of gas exceeds a predetermined time, a cutoff notification signal Sc is sent from the gas meter 3 to the gas leak alarm 4 (see FIG. 3A). Further, when a shake is detected by the seismic device, a cutoff notification signal Sd is sent from the gas meter 3 to the gas leak alarm 4 (see FIG. 3B). However, these cutoff notification signals Sc and Sd are the same. For example, as shown in the figure, at an interval of 10 seconds, an ON signal of ta (= 0.1) seconds is followed by an OFF signal of tb (= 0.3) seconds. Then, an ON signal of ta (= 0.1) seconds is sent out. Accordingly, the gas leak alarm device 4 that has received the shutoff notification signal Sc (Sd), from the voice output unit 41, says that the gas has been stopped by the meter regardless of the cause of the shutoff as long as it is a cause other than gas leak. Output is made.
JP 62-214499 A Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-59977

  As described above, in the conventional gas security system, the signal sent from the gas meter to the gas leak alarm device when the shutoff valve is shut off (the shutoff notification signal described above) is the same signal (one type of signal) regardless of the cause of the shutoff. Therefore, the gas leak alarm side can only determine whether the shutoff valve is shut off due to gas leak or the shutoff valve is shut off due to other reasons. Therefore, in the conventional gas security system, the gas user cannot know "other causes" on the gas leak alarm side, and it is understood that the gas meter has been shut down and the gas can no longer be used. However, there was a problem that it was not possible to take an appropriate response.

  The system described in Patent Document 2 is intended to enable the gas user to clearly know the cause of the shut-off, but in this way, only two types of gas leaks or other causes are discriminated. Not only can this be done, but because the determination is made on the side of the gas leak alarm installed in the room, it is not a technology suitable for downsizing, although downsizing is required compared to gas meters.

  Further, in the conventional gas security system, a warning sound or warning sound is generated by the gas leak alarm device, but it is always missed that the warning sound or warning sound is only once. It is possible to sound the warning sound or warning sound until the gas user stops the operation, but when the shut-off valve is actually shut off for some reason, it is basically safe and the operation method is not particularly understood. When only children are at home, they feel noisy and panic.

  The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation as described above, and an object thereof is to prevent gas from being used because a shut-off valve is shut off in a gas security system in which a gas meter and a gas leak alarm are connected. Sometimes, the gas user is surely notified of the cause of the interruption on the gas leak alarm side.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a first technical means of the present invention is a gas meter to which a gas leak alarm is connected, and includes a shut-off valve that shuts off a gas flow path, and a plurality of types of sensors. A detection unit that detects an abnormality based on an output from each sensor or an output from each sensor and the gas leak alarm device, and a shut-off control unit that controls to shut off the shut-off valve when the detection unit detects an abnormality And a signal sending unit that sends a signal indicating that the shut-off valve has been shut off by the shut-off control unit to the gas leak alarm, and the signal sending unit uses the signal as a cause of shut-off as the gas leak. A signal that can be discriminated on the alarm side is transmitted.

  A second technical means is a gas leak alarm connected to the gas meter in the first technical means, wherein a reception unit that receives the signal from the gas meter, and a cause of interruption based on the signal received by the reception unit. It is characterized by comprising a determination unit for determining, and a display unit for displaying the content corresponding to the cause of blocking determined by the determination unit.

  The third technical means is a gas security system formed by connecting the gas meter in the first technical means and the gas leak alarm in the second technical means.

  According to the present invention, in a gas security system in which a gas meter and a gas leak alarm are connected, when the shut-off valve is shut off and gas cannot be used, the gas user is notified of the cause of the shut-off. The gas user can perform the subsequent countermeasures quickly and accurately.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a gas security system according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a gas meter, 2 is a gas leak alarm, 11 is a metering unit, 12 is a sensor unit, and 13 is a control. , 14 is a display unit, 15 is a blocking unit, 16 is a terminal block, 17 is an external device, 21 is an input / output unit, 22 is a control unit, 23 is a display unit, and 24 is an audio output unit. Moreover, FIG. 2 is a figure for demonstrating an example of the interruption | blocking notification signal sent with respect to a gas leak alarm from the gas meter in the system of FIG.

  The metering unit 11 of the gas meter 1 has a metering function 11a that outputs the rotational speed or fluid vibration of the rotating body according to the gas flow rate. The sensor unit 12 is a sensor that detects a physical quantity related to the gas flow rate and security, and includes a flow rate sensor 12a that detects the output of the weighing function 11a, a pressure sensor 12b that detects the gas pressure, and a seismic sensor that detects vibrations such as seismic waves. (Seismic device) 12c and the like.

  The control unit 13 performs arithmetic processing on the captured sensor signal to store and output processing data. The microcomputer 13a, the interface 13b, a battery 13c as a power source, a test cutoff switch 13d, a container reset switch 13e, It is made up of. Further, the control unit 13 determines the presence or absence of an abnormality based on the output signal from the sensor unit 12 or the output signal thereof and the gas leak detection signal from the gas leak alarm device 2, and when there is an abnormality, The block of the gas flow path is executed.

  The display unit 14 is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) that displays data processed by the control unit 13 in accordance with a predetermined program or an external command. The display unit 14 includes an integrated gas flow rate display unit 14a and a security display unit 14b. Etc.

  The shut-off unit 15 shuts off the shut-off valve (control valve) by a finger from the control unit 13 when an abnormality is detected by the control unit 13, and includes a bidirectional shut-off valve 15a, a return button 15b, and the like. . In addition to the gas leak alarm device 2 connected to the outside of the gas meter 1 through the terminal block 16, as an external device, a telephone exchange such as calling, sending of a selection signal, disconnection, etc. is performed with the gas meter 1. An NCU (network control unit) 17a for controlling the network is provided.

  The gas meter 1 is not limited to the illustrated example, the function of measuring the gas flow rate, the shut-off valve that shuts off the gas flow path (illustrated by the bidirectional shut-off valve 15a), the detection unit and the shut-off valve that detect abnormality A shutoff control unit (exemplified by the sensor unit 12 and the control unit 13 including various sensors such as the sensors 12a to 12c) and a signal sending unit to the gas leak alarm 2 (microcomputer 13a, interface 13b) , As exemplified by the terminal block 16 or the like). For example, the gas meter 1 and the gas leak alarm device 2 are not limited to a form in which they are wiredly connected via the terminal block 16, but may be connected by wireless connection. In addition, the bidirectional shutoff valve 15 a may be provided outside the casing of the gas meter 1.

  And as a main feature of the present invention, this signal sending unit sends a signal indicating that the shut-off valve has been shut off by the shut-off control unit (shut-off notification signal) to the gas leak alarm 2, but as a shut-off notification signal, A signal that can be detected on the gas leak alarm 2 side is transmitted. Note that the cause of blocking is preferably displayed on the security display unit 14b. In the example of FIG. 1, the control unit 13 responds to an output signal from the sensor unit 12 or its output signal and a gas leak detection signal from the gas leak alarm 2 at the same time or after a predetermined time with the gas flow path shutoff command. A cutoff notification signal for each cutoff cause is sent to the gas leak alarm 2 side via the terminal block 16.

  The interruption notification signal for each interruption cause can be transmitted by storing in advance an interruption notification signal (for example, ON / OFF timing) corresponding to a plurality of interruption causes (and combinations thereof) in the built-in memory of the microcomputer 13a. For example, the microcomputer 13a determines the cause of interruption based on a signal obtained from the sensor unit 12 (and the gas leak alarm device 2) via the interface 13b, and refers to the interface 13b and the corresponding interruption notification signal while referring to the built-in memory. What is necessary is just to send out to the gas leak alarm 2 through the terminal block 16.

  For example, when the continuous use time of the gas exceeds a predetermined time, a cutoff notification signal Sa is sent from the gas meter 1 to the gas leak alarm 2 (see FIG. 2A). The cutoff notification signal Sa is, for example, as shown in the figure, at an interval of 10 seconds, ta (= 0.1) second ON signal, tb (= 0.3) second OFF signal, ta ON signal, tc second (x1 second) ) OFF signal and td second ON signal. Further, when shaking is detected by the seismoscope, a cutoff notification signal Sb is sent from the gas meter 1 to the gas leak alarm 2 (see FIG. 2B). The cutoff notification signal Sb is, for example, as shown in the figure, at an interval of 10 seconds, ta (= 0.1) second ON signal, tb (= 0.3) second OFF signal, ta ON signal, tc second (x2 seconds) ) OFF signal and td second ON signal.

  In this example, the value of tc seconds is sent so as to be different between the signal Sa of FIG. 2A and the signal Sb of FIG. 2B. By changing the width of tc, the cause of the interruption is the gas leak alarm. It can be distinguished on the vessel 2 side. In addition, it is possible to distinguish by the number of pulses having a width of td, such as a method that makes it possible to distinguish by changing the width of td, or one when the usage time is interrupted and two when the seismic device is interrupted. Other methods such as methods can also be employed. Further, the cause of blocking is not limited to the example illustrated here.

  As described above, the gas meter 1 notifies the gas leakage alarm device 2 of the interruption cause by changing the interruption notification signal to the gas leakage alarm device 2 according to the interruption cause. It is necessary to correspond to the signal.

  Therefore, the gas leak alarm device 2 includes an input / output unit 21 for inputting / outputting a signal to / from the terminal block 16, including an input of a different cutoff notification signal for each cutoff cause output from the signal sending unit, a gas leak A control unit 22 for controlling the entire alarm device 2, a display unit 23 such as an LCD for actually displaying the contents according to the cause of the interruption based on the signal transmitted by the signal transmission unit described above, and the same transmitted signal Is provided with a sound output unit 24 having a speaker that emits a warning sound or warning sound for each cause of interruption.

  The reason why the display unit 23 is provided in the gas leak alarm 2 is as follows. That is, if the gas leak alarm device 2 is provided with an audio output unit 24, it is possible to notify the gas user, but it may be overlooked that the warning sound or the warning sound is only once to several times. Or, conversely, when the warning sound or warning sound is sounded until the gas user stops the operation, it feels noisy. Therefore, instead of the voice output unit 24 or in combination with the voice output unit 24, the display unit 23 is provided, Is preferably displayed in characters.

  The display unit 23 and the audio output unit 24 are provided with a plurality of shut-off notification signals in advance in the built-in memory or the memory built in the control unit 22 in order to enable display and audio output according to the signal from the signal sending unit, respectively. Corresponding data may be stored. And the control part 22 should just read the data according to the interruption | blocking notification signal from a signal transmission part, and should output to the display part 23 and the audio | voice output part 24, respectively.

  At the time of shut-off according to the usage time illustrated in FIG. 2 (A), the gas leak alarm 2 displays on the display unit 23 based on the shut-off notification signal Sa that “the gas has been stopped by the meter due to long-term gas use”. In addition, similar sound can be emitted from the sound output unit 24. At the time of interruption due to shaking exemplified in FIG. 2 (B), the gas leak alarm 2 displays on the display unit 23 “gas has been stopped by the meter due to the occurrence of an earthquake” based on the interruption notification signal Sa, and the same Can be emitted from the audio output unit 24. In contrast, conventionally, the same signal, that is, the same content is reported regardless of the cause of the interruption as illustrated in FIG. 3, so that the gas leak alarm 2 can output only the warning sound or the warning sound having the same content. .

  The gas leak alarm 2 is not limited to the example shown in the figure, but is a receiving unit (illustrated by the input / output unit 21) that receives the above-described cutoff notification signal from the gas meter 1, and a discrimination that determines the cause of the cutoff based on the received signal. And a notification unit (illustrated by the display unit 23 and / or the audio output unit 24) for notifying the content corresponding to the blocking cause determined by the determination unit.

  Note that the shutoff notification signal sent on the gas meter 1 side may be sent from the sensor unit 12 even if the cause of the shutoff is determined based on the signals obtained from the sensor unit 12 and the gas leak alarm 2 as described above. The cause of the interruption may be determined based on only the output signal. In the former case, even if the gas leak detected by the gas leak alarm 2 itself is the cause of the interruption, it can be handled without increasing the circuit scale of the gas leak alarm 2 side. In the latter case, the gas leak alarm 2 itself In the case of the blocking cause detected in step 1, it may be output to the display unit 23 or the audio output unit 24 as it is.

  In the example of FIG. 2, it is preferable to set the width of td to a value different from ta in the cutoff notification signal transmitted by the signal transmission unit. As a result, even with a conventional gas leak alarm, a pulse having a width of td can be determined as dust, so that the conventional notification can be performed even if the cutoff notification signal is detected as described above.

It is a figure showing an example of composition of a gas security system concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the interruption | blocking notification signal sent with respect to a gas leak alarm from the gas meter in the system of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the interruption | blocking notification signal sent with respect to a gas leak alarm from the gas meter in the conventional system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Gas meter, 2 ... Gas leak alarm device, 11 ... Metering part, 12 ... Sensor part, 13 ... Control part on the gas meter side, 14 ... Display part on the gas meter side, 15 ... Shut-off part, 16 ... Terminal block, 17 ... External Equipment: 21 ... Input / output unit, 22 ... Control unit on the gas leak alarm side, 23 ... Display unit on the gas leak alarm side, 24 ... Audio output unit.

Claims (3)

  A gas meter to which a gas leak alarm is connected, and has a shutoff valve that shuts off the gas flow path, and a plurality of types of sensors, and an abnormality based on the output from each sensor or the output from each sensor and the gas leak alarm A detection unit that detects the shutoff valve when the abnormality is detected by the detection unit, and a signal indicating that the shutoff valve is shut off by the shutoff control unit. A gas meter comprising: a signal sending unit for sending to a gas leak alarm, wherein the signal sending unit sends, as the signal, a signal whose blocking cause can be discriminated on the gas leak alarm side.   A gas leak alarm connected to the gas meter according to claim 1, wherein a receiving unit that receives the signal from the gas meter, a determination unit that determines a blocking cause based on the signal received by the receiving unit, A gas leak alarm device comprising: a display unit for displaying content corresponding to the cause of the interruption determined by the determination unit.   A gas security system comprising the gas meter according to claim 1 and the gas leak alarm according to claim 2 connected thereto.

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