JP2016192197A - Method for detecting snow accreting to traffic signal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide means for detecting the accretion of snow in snow melting means for removing snow accreting to a traffic signal.SOLUTION: The structure of a method includes a transparent panel 1 for radiating light from a light source of a traffic signal to the outside and an optical sensor placed at an appropriate position on the rear surface of the transparent panel 1, and controls a heat source for melting snow by detecting snow accreting to a front surface 2 of the panel of the traffic signal with the optical sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a means for preventing a situation in which signal recognition becomes difficult due to snow on a traffic signal.

In recent years, the light source of signal lamps has been changed from light bulbs to LEDs, and progress has been made in terms of long life and power saving. As a result, there has been a problem in that the visibility of the signal lamps in snowy areas has increased and visibility has deteriorated.

For this reason, measures have been taken to avoid the use of heat sources such as heaters or the use of heat sources due to structural reforms of signal lamps for snow melting in signal lamps.

An object of the present invention is to provide a heat source control means that is most effective in a signal lamp having a snow melting structure that uses a heat source.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and complete the object, a temperature that enables snow melting on the snow landing surface is required, and the signal lamp according to the present invention includes a plurality of heaters and a plurality of snow accumulation sensors. The snow melting heater is operated intensively at the place where the snow is detected, and if the snow melts while there is little snow and the snow disappears, the heater is shut off immediately and the means for effectively using the power for melting is taken.

The irradiation surface of the above-mentioned standard signal lamp is 30 cm in diameter, and it is considered that snowfall usually starts from a part of the irradiation surface.
For this reason, the snow melting heater is buried in the most effective place for melting snow, and when the snow melting is completed, the heater is shut off to achieve a power saving effect.

It is a perspective view of the signal lamp device of Example 1 of this invention. It is a partial cross section figure of the translucent panel for demonstrating operation | movement of the optical sensor for detecting the snow cover in the Example of this invention.

Embodiments for implementing the signal lamp of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

An embodiment of the snow accretion detection method of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, but the present invention is also applicable to a snow accretion detection method using a proximity sensor other than an optical sensor.

In FIG. 1, the translucent panel (8) is made of transparent and colorless plastic or the like, and is provided at the opening of the signal lamp, and radiates signal radiation light to the outside.

The optical sensors R (2), C (3), and L (4) of the present embodiment are optical sensors for detecting snow accretion attached to the front surface (7) of the translucent panel, and the translucent panel (8). It is buried in an arbitrary place to detect snowfall.

The optical sensor R (2) in FIG. 2 is a reflection type optical sensor, and the light emitted from the optical sensor R (2) is reflected by the snow on the front surface of the transparent panel (8), and reflected by the front surface of the transparent panel. The presence or absence of snow in (7) is determined.

The heaters R (5) and L (6) are heaters for melting snow on the front surface (7) of the translucent panel, and are controlled by information from the optical sensor.

Now, the radiation light (9) in FIG. 2 is not derived from the reflected light (10) when there is no object to be reflected within the range of the set distance of the optical sensor (2). (5) The heater (6) does not operate.

Next, when snow (11) is made on the front surface (7) of the translucent panel, the radiated light (9) is reflected by the snow (11) and the reflected light (10) is generated. The determination is made and either or both of the heater (5) and the heater (6) are operated to melt snow.

When the melting of the snow is completed and the reflected light (10) is no longer input, the heater stops operating.

In the snow melting operation of the traffic light, “0014”, “0015”, and “0016” are constantly repeated, and when snow is generated, the snow can be melted in a short time while there is little snow on the signal lamp.

In the present invention, since the conventional signal light used a light bulb as the light source, the snow melting due to the heat generated by the light bulb was changed to the LED light source, so the heat generated by the light source could not be used for melting the snow and could not be recognized by the snow on the signal light. However, in order to prevent the LED signal lamp from snowing with a heat source, it is possible to prevent snow from reaching if the heat quantity is the same as that of the signal lamp using a light bulb. For this reason, a heat source for melting snow is constructed in the signal lamp, and a configuration in which a heat source such as a heater is operated only when and when it is necessary for melting snow in order to reduce the burden of electric power.

As an effect of the snow accretion prevention method of the present invention, since the melting of the snow starts when the amount of snow is small, the time for melting the snow is short. Since the heater in the place effective for snow melting in the place with snow is operated by the optical sensor, there is no wasteful use of a heat source, and the snow melting effect is great and the power saving effect is great.

1: Back of translucent panel 2: Optical sensor R
3: Light sensor C
4: Light sensor L
5: Transparent heater R
6: Transparent heater L
7: Translucent panel front 8: Translucent panel 9: Radiated light 10: Reflected light 11: Snowfall

Claims (1)

A translucent panel of traffic lights,
Several optical sensors provided on the back side of the translucent panel which is the light source side of the translucent panel;
A heater serving as several heat sources provided on the back or inner surface of the translucent panel,
Only when the light sensor detects snow on the front surface of the translucent panel of the traffic light, the heater is energized to generate heat,
In order to prevent unrecognizable signal lights due to snowfall by melting snow on the front of the translucent panel, the heat source for melting snow is operated only during snowfall,
A snow accretion detection method characterized by a structure for efficiently controlling a heat source by the optical sensor in order to save electric power for melting snow.

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