JP2022020115A - Snowfall sensor and snow melting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a snowfall sensor and a snow melting apparatus that ensure a high detection accuracy with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A snowfall sensor comprises: a ranging sensor 13 having a floodlight unit 23 for emitting light; and a receiver unit 24 for detecting the light reflected by an object; a cover 18 for accommodating the ranging sensor, and having a window portion through which the light is transmitted; a control board 11 comprising a sensor control unit for detecting a signal of the ranging sensor; a heater 14 arranged in the cover; and a feeder cable for supplying an electric power to the sensor control unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a snowfall sensor and a snowmelting device that detect snowfall information.

In regions where there is a lot of snow, watering-type snow melting devices are used to protect roads and sidewalks necessary for daily life from snow damage. In such a snowmelting device, there is a demand for a technique for automatically operating the snowmelting device when a snowfall phenomenon that causes snowfall occurs by using a snowfall sensor that detects snowfall. In the snowfall sensor, in addition to detecting the temperature by the temperature sensor, a configuration using a photoelectric sensor that irradiates infrared rays to receive the reflected light by the object, detects the presence or absence of an object, and outputs an ON / OFF signal is known. (See, for example, Patent Document 1). With such a photoelectric sensor, the light reflected by the snowflakes is received and the number of snowflakes per fixed time is detected.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-64581

The snowfall sensor, which uses both the temperature and the number of snowflakes, has a structure in which a photoelectric sensor is installed in a sealed casing with a window so that the photoelectric sensor, which is an electronic device, is not affected by rain or wind, and the snowflake is detected through the window. It is used. If snow falls on the window and the window is blocked by snow, snowflakes cannot be detected. Therefore, a heat retaining heater is installed inside the casing of the snowfall sensor, and when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor drops below a certain temperature. , The heat retaining heater is energized, and when the temperature rises above a certain temperature, the energizing of the heat retaining heater is stopped.

However, since the heat insulating heater has a high heat generation temperature, the window portion and the casing portion are liable to be thermally deformed if they are attached by directly contacting the window portion or the casing portion around the window portion. Therefore, we adopted a structure in which the heat insulating heater is installed inside the casing without touching the surrounding members, and by keeping the atmosphere inside the casing warm with the heat insulating heater, the heater heat is indirectly conducted to the window and casing. It prevents snow accretion on the windows.

An object of the present invention is to provide a snowfall sensor and a snowmelting device capable of ensuring high detection accuracy with a simple structure.

The snowfall sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a distance measuring sensor having a light projecting unit that irradiates light and a light receiving unit that detects the light reflected by an object, and the distance measuring sensor. A cover having a window portion that transmits light, a control board including a sensor control unit that detects a signal of the distance measuring sensor, a heater arranged in the cover, and a feeding line that supplies power to the sensor control unit. To prepare for.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a snowfall sensor and a snowmelting device capable of ensuring high detection accuracy with a simple structure.

Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the snowmelting apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The cross-sectional view which shows the structure of the snowfall sensor of the snowmelting apparatus. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the snowfall sensor. The side view which shows the structure of the control board of the snowfall sensor. The cross-sectional view which shows the structure of the snowfall sensor of the same snowfall sensor. The plan view which shows the structure of the partition plate of the snowfall sensor. The cross-sectional view which shows the structure of the partition plate of the snowfall sensor. The cross-sectional view which shows the structure of the partition plate of the snowfall sensor.

Hereinafter, the snowmelting device 100 and the snowfall sensor 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the snowmelting device 100 according to the first embodiment. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the internal configuration of the snowfall sensor 1 as viewed from the side. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the configuration of the control board 11. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the internal configuration of the snowfall sensor 1 as viewed from above. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the configuration of the partition plate 19a of the snowfall sensor 1 as viewed from above, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of the partition plate 19a.

As shown in FIG. 1, the snowmelt device 100 includes a snowfall sensor 1, a snowmelt device 2, and a control device 3. The snow melting device 100 is, for example, a device that melts snow in a snow melting target portion.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the snowfall sensor 1 includes a casing 10, a control board 11, a first temperature sensor 12, a distance measuring sensor 13, a heater 14, and a plurality of cables 15a and 15b. A second temperature sensor 16 is provided. The snowfall sensor 1 is provided, for example, outdoors, detects snowfall information in a target area, and sends an operation signal of the snowmelt device 2 to the control device 3. Further, the snowfall sensor 1 may further include a remote controller 4 for remote control.

The casing 10 includes a pole 17, a cover 18, and partition plates 19a and 19b.

The pole 17 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape with upper and lower openings. An antenna mast is inserted into the opening at the bottom of the pole 17, and the pole 17 is connected on the antenna mast to support the snowfall sensor 1 at the installation location. The first partition plate 19a is provided in the circular opening 17a formed at the upper end of the pole 17. Further, a second partition plate 19b is arranged in the middle of the pole 17 in the axial direction.

Cable holes 17c penetrating the peripheral wall are formed at two positions above the position where the partition plate 19b is arranged on the pole 17. The cable hole 17c is a circular through hole into which the connection cables 15a and 15b are inserted. That is, the pole 17 has an opening 17b to which a cover 18 is connected to one end side and an insertion port into which the antenna mast is inserted, and has a cable hole 17c penetrating the peripheral wall in the middle portion in the axial direction. A cable that has a feeding line in the cable hole 17c and connects the control board and the snow melting device is arranged through the cable hole 17c.

The cover 18 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin material, and has a roof portion 18a and a flange portion 18b integrally. The cover 18 is opened downward, the upper end portion of the pole 17 is inserted into the flange portion 18b of the opening, and the peripheral edge is watertightly bonded to be joined.

The roof portion 18a is made of, for example, a light-transmitting synthetic resin material, and is formed in a hemispherical dome shape that opens downward. A rectangular window portion 18c is formed in the center of the front portion of the roof portion 18a. The window portion 18c is formed in a flat plate shape and is configured to be able to transmit the light of the distance measuring sensor 13. Specifically, it is made of a light-transmitting material, thinner than the roof portion 18a of the surrounding portion, and is configured to have a thickness of, for example, about 1 mm. The outer surface has a curved surface shape that makes it easy for snow that has fallen from above to fall without accumulating.

On the inner wall of the roof portion 18a, a step portion 18e that engages with the peripheral edge of the control board is formed. Specifically, a stepped surface along the circumferential direction is formed in a part of the inner wall of the roof portion 18a, and the peripheral portion of the first control board 11 is supported by the step portion 18e.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the partition plates 19a and 19b are made of, for example, a rubber material and have a circular plate-like outer shape. The partition plates 19a and 19b are arranged along a plane orthogonal to the axis of the pole 17, close the space inside the pole 17, and partition the accommodating portion in the vertical direction.

The upper partition plate 19a is provided at the connection portion between the cover 18 and the pole 17 and covers the opening 17a at the upper end of the pole 17. The partition plate 19a includes, for example, a circular thin film portion 19d, and has a slit 19c extending in the width direction at the central portion and through which the control substrate 11 penetrates. The first control board 11 is located in the slit 19c, and the control board 11 is sandwiched by the circular outer edge portion 19e. The partition plate 19a partitions the space inside the casing 10 into a first chamber 20a on the upper side and a second chamber 20b on the lower side, and holds the control board 11 to prevent the sensor and the control board 11 from falling.

The partition plate 19b is provided in the middle of the axial direction in the internal space of the pole 17. The partition plate 19b is arranged below the partition plate 19a and the control board 11. The partition plate 19b partitions the space inside the pole 17 into a second chamber 20b for accommodating the control board 11 and a third chamber and 20c formed below the second chamber 20b. The partition plate 19b prevents raindrops from entering through the hole at the lower end of the pole 17.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the control board 11 is a circuit board and is erected in the casing 10. The control board 11 is a plate-shaped member having a rectangular first base portion 11a arranged in the pole 17 and a second base portion 11b having an arcuate edge along the shape of the cover 18 continuously and integrally. Is. A notch portion 11d that engages with and is supported by the outer edge portion of the partition plate 19a is formed at the boundary portion between the first base portion 11a and the second base portion 11b. The semicircular peripheral edge of the second base portion 11b is supported by the stepped portion 18e formed on the inner wall of the cover 18. The control board 11 is arranged so as to reach the space inside the cover 18 and the space inside the pole 17.

Various control devices such as a storage unit 21, a sensor control unit 25, and a temperature sensor 12 are mounted on the control board 11.

The storage unit 21 includes, for example, a RAM and a ROM, and stores various set values and arithmetic expressions. For example, the storage unit 21 stores information such as the distance sent from the distance measuring sensor 13 and the temperature sent from the temperature sensor 12 as snowfall information.

The temperature sensor 12 is provided in the second chamber 20b. The temperature sensor 12 includes, for example, a temperature detection element. The temperature sensor 12 is mounted on the control board 11. The temperature information is detected, and the detected signal is sent to the sensor control unit 25.

The distance measuring sensor 13 is a triangulation type photoelectric sensor, and includes a sensor case 22, a light projecting unit 23 mounted on the sensor case 22, and a light receiving unit 24. The sensor case 22 of the distance measuring sensor 13 is screwed onto the control board 11 and arranged at a position facing the window portion 18c. The distance measuring sensor 13 is connected to the sensor control unit 25 provided on the control board 11.

For example, the distance measuring sensor 13 measures the distance to the target (object) arranged in the detection target area including a long distance of about 1 m at the maximum. The detection target area is set to an area excluding the dead zone, which is a region within a certain distance from the conical irradiation region extending forward from the light projecting unit 23 and the light receiving unit 24.

The light projecting unit 23 includes an emitter that irradiates invisible light in a conical shape. For example, the light projecting unit 23 irradiates pulsed infrared light as invisible light at regular time intervals. The invisible light is, for example, near infrared rays having a wavelength of 800-1200 nm, specifically, an invisible light region having a wavelength of about 940 nm.

The light receiving unit 24 includes a detection element that receives the reflected light reflected by the target. For example, in the light receiving unit 24, a plurality of detection elements are arranged in an array. In order to reduce the error of the detection distance in the detection of snowflakes falling vertically, the light projecting unit 23 and the light receiving unit 24 are arranged side by side.

The sensor control unit 25 includes, for example, a CPU, various processing circuits, a conversion circuit, and the like. The sensor control unit 25 controls the operation of the snowfall sensor 1 and the snow melting device 2 according to the information sent from the light receiving unit 24 and the temperature sensor 12 and various programs stored in advance in the storage unit 21.

The sensor control unit 25 is connected to the distance measuring sensor 13, irradiates infrared light from the light emitting unit 23 under predetermined conditions, and reaches a target existing in the target area based on the signal detected by the light receiving unit 24. Measure the distance and detect the measurement information.

Further, the sensor control unit 25 is configured to be able to switch between an automatic mode and a manual mode based on, for example, a setting input of the operation unit 34 of the control device 3. For example, in the automatic mode, the snowmelting device 2 is operated and controlled based on the information detected by various sensors.

For example, the sensor control unit 25 operates the distance measuring sensor 13 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 12 is equal to or lower than a certain temperature in the automatic mode, and emits infrared light from the light projecting unit 23 of the distance measuring sensor 13. Irradiate. The constant value is, for example, 2.5 ° C. Further, the sensor control unit 25 stops irradiation when the temperature rises to a certain value. For example, the sensor control unit 25 stops irradiation when the temperature rises above 3.0 ° C.

Further, the sensor control unit 25 detects snowfall information based on the number of detections by the distance measuring sensor 13. For example, the sensor control unit 25 calculates the number of snowflakes based on the number of times the distance to the target is detected in the target area and the distance information. As an example, the sensor control unit 25 calculates the number of snowflakes by counting the number of times the distance measuring sensor 13 detects the distance to the target in a predetermined area as the number of snowflakes.

Further, the sensor control unit 25 may make a correction to exclude from the counting target when a certain condition is satisfied based on the measurement distance.

As another example of calculating the number of snowflakes, the sensor control unit 25 may weight the count number when counting as the number of snowflakes based on the length of the measurement distance, for example.

Then, the sensor control unit 25 operates the snowmelt device 2 when the operation condition of the snowmelt device 2 is satisfied based on the number of snowflakes and the temperature information, or operates the snowmelt device 2 when the stop condition of the snowmelt device 2 is satisfied. Sends an operation signal to stop the control device 3. For example, when the number of snowflakes per fixed time exceeds a predetermined value in the target area, the sensor control unit 25 operates the snowmelting device 2, and when the number of snowflakes per fixed time in the target area falls below the predetermined stop reference number, the sensor control unit 25 operates. A signal for stopping the snow melting device 2 is sent to the control device 3.

The sensor control unit 25 acquires signals from the temperature sensor 12 and the temperature sensor 16 and detects temperature information. For example, the sensor control unit 25 drives the heater 14 when the operating condition of the heater 14 is satisfied, or stops the heater 14 when the stop condition of the heater 14 is satisfied, based on the temperature information of the temperature sensor. As an example, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 12 is below a predetermined value, the heater 14 is operated, and when the temperature exceeds another predetermined value, the heater is stopped.

When the test run button of the operation unit 34 is pressed, the sensor control unit 25 displays the measured distance on the display unit 33 while the button is pressed.

The heater 14 is provided around the sensor case 22 in which the light emitting unit 23 and the light receiving unit 24 are arranged. For example, the heater 14 is arranged above the sensor case 22. Under the control of the sensor control unit 25 fixed to the control board 11, the heater 14 is operated to generate heat, thereby preventing snow from accumulating on the window unit 18c.

The connection cables 15a and 15b have, for example, a feeder line or a signal line. One connection cable 15a passes through the cable hole 17c of the pole 17 and one end side is connected to the control board 11 in the accommodating portion. The other end side of the connection cable 15a is led out of the accommodating portion and connected to the control device 3. The other connection cable 15b passes through the cable hole 17c and one end side is connected to the control board 11 in the accommodating portion. The other end side of the connection cable 15b is led out to the outside of the accommodating portion, and the other end portion of the connection cable 15b is provided with a second temperature sensor 16. A pipe member 15d covering the outer surface is provided at the end of the connection cables 15a and 15b arranged in the cable hole 17c.

The second temperature sensor 16 is arranged in a place to be snowmelted, for example, on a road, and detects the ground temperature. The second temperature sensor 16 includes, for example, a temperature detection element and a sensor case. The second temperature sensor 16 detects the temperature information of the road and sends the detected signal to the sensor control unit 25.

As shown in FIG. 1, the snowmelting device 2 is provided, for example, on a place subject to snowmelting, for example, on a road. For example, in the case of a sprinkling type having a structure in which groundwater is pumped and used as snowmelt water, a snowmelt pump is provided as the snowmelt device 2. The snowmelting device 2 performs a watering operation so that snow on a place to be snowmelted, for example, a road, is melted by a signal output from the control device 3. The signal is, for example, a signal (on signal) that directly starts the snowmelt pump. In the snow melting device 100, the snow melting device 2 is operated by a signal, and the snow melting device 2 is sent to the pipe and sprinkled on the road to melt the snow on the road.

The snowmelting device 2 performs a watering operation so that snow on a place to be snowmelted, for example, a road, is melted according to a signal output from the control device 3. The signal is a signal (on signal) that directly starts the snowmelt pump. The snow melting device 2 is operated by a signal output from the control device 3, sends snow melting water to a pipe, and sprinkles water on the road to melt the snow on the road.
The control device 3 includes a display unit 33, an operation unit 34, and an output board 35. The control device 3 is connected to the snowfall sensor 1 via a connection cable 15a so that power can be supplied and signals can be transmitted / received. The control device 3 supplies power to the snowfall sensor 1 via the connection cable 15a, and controls the operation of the snowmelting device 2 according to the operation signal sent from the snowfall sensor 1.

The display unit 33 is a display unit that displays information such as temperature information and the number of snowflakes.
The operation unit 34 includes input devices such as a power supply and various operation buttons.

The output board 35 is a circuit board, and is equipped with a DC power supply unit and a relay for contact output.

According to the snowfall sensor 1 device according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the light projecting unit 23 irradiates the invisible light in a conical shape at regular time intervals, and the light receiving unit 24 receives the invisible light reflected by the snowflakes descending in the conical space, and receives the invisible light at regular time intervals, for example. A triangular survey method is used to calculate the distance to the snowflake by irradiating infrared rays from the infrared LED every 40 ms and detecting the position on the received image sensor (PSD posture sensing space). By increasing the number of snowflakes by one each time the distance is measured, the number of snowflakes per fixed time can be counted.

By using a small distance measuring sensor, the sensor case 22 and the control board 11 can be miniaturized, and the cover 18 can be miniaturized, so that the required performance of the heater can be reduced. For example, a dome-shaped cover 18 having a radius equivalent to the diameter of the pole 17 connected to the antenna mast can be connected to make the casing 10 a compact and simple structure. Therefore, the power consumption of the heater can be suppressed.

Furthermore, since the projected area is about the same as that of a thin pole, the area of snow accumulation can be minimized. In addition, by providing a dome-shaped outer surface and a heater inside, it is easy for snow to fall even if snow accretion occurs, and it is possible to prevent snow accumulation.

Further, by incorporating the control board in such a small casing 10, the connection with the outside can be a three-wire cable connection with only the feeder line and the operation signal line. Therefore, the connection structure can be made simple and compact.

Further, in the above embodiment, the control board 11 is fixed to the inner surface of the cover 18 and a part of the control board 11 is housed in the pole 17, so that the surface area of snow accretion can be reduced. Further, the partition plates 19a and 19b can partition the first chamber 20a in which the heater 14 is arranged and the atmosphere, and can maintain the heat retaining effect of the heater 14.

Further, by partitioning the space by the partition plates 19a and 19b and arranging the heater 14 in the upper space and the temperature sensor 12 in the lower space, the temperature sensor 12 is affected by the heat of the heater 14. Can be prevented.

Further, in a configuration in which the pipe member 15d is inserted into the cable hole 17c penetrating the peripheral wall of the pole 17 and the cable is arranged, the pipe member 15d can be prevented from interfering with the control board 11 by providing a notch or the like for control. Damage to the substrate 11 can be prevented.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, various set values and calculation reference values can be changed as appropriate.

For example, although the example in which the signal is transmitted and received by the cable 15a is shown, the signal may be configured to be able to communicate wirelessly.

Further, in the above embodiment, the snowmelting device 100 exemplifies a configuration in which groundwater is pumped up by a pump, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a snowmelting device of a type that supplies snowmelt pumped water from a general water supply pipe, or a heating device such as a heater may be used. For example, when a watering type snowmelting device having a structure in which water is branched from a general water supply pipe and used as snowmelting water is used as the snowmelting device 2, the electric valve and the solenoid valve provided in the pipe are controlled based on the snowfall information. In this case, the signal (on signal) that directly opens and closes the electric valve and the solenoid valve arranged in the pipe becomes the snowmelt signal.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be variously modified at the implementation stage without departing from the gist thereof. In addition, each embodiment may be carried out in combination as appropriate, in which case the combined effect can be obtained. Further, the above-described embodiment includes various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by a combination selected from a plurality of disclosed constituent requirements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, if the problem can be solved and the effect is obtained, the configuration in which the constituent elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

1 ... Snowfall sensor, 2 ... Snow melting device, 3 ... Control device, 4 ... Remote control, 10 ... Casing, 11 ... Control board, 11a ... First base part, 11b ... Second base part, 11d ... Notch part, 12 ... Temperature sensor, 13 ... Distance measuring sensor, 14 ... Heater, 15a ... Connection cable, 15b ... Connection cable, 15d ... Pipe member, 16 ... Temperature sensor, 17 ... Pole, 17a ... Opening, 17c ... Cable hole, 18 ... Cover, 18a ... roof part, 18b ... flange part, 18c ... window part, 18e ... step part, 19a, 19b ... partition plate, 19c ... slit, 20a ... first room, 20b ... second room, 20c ... third room, 21 ... Storage unit, 22 ... Sensor case, 23 ... Light projector unit, 24 ... Light receiving unit, 25 ... Sensor control unit, 33 ... Display unit, 34 ... Operation unit, 35 ... Output board, 100 ... Snow melting device.

Claims (8)

A ranging sensor having a light projecting unit that irradiates light and a light receiving unit that detects the light reflected by an object.
A cover that accommodates the distance measuring sensor and has a window portion that transmits the light,
A control board including a sensor control unit that detects a signal of the distance measuring sensor, and
The heater arranged in the cover and
A feeder that supplies power to the sensor control unit and
A snowfall sensor. Equipped with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature
The snowfall sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor control unit acquires a signal from the temperature sensor. The cover is made of a light-transmitting resin and is formed in a dome shape having an opening.
A sensor case on which the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are mounted,
A hollow pole that is inserted into the opening of the cover and assembled.
The snowfall sensor according to claim 1 or 2. The sensor case is arranged inside the cover.
The control board is arranged so as to reach the space inside the cover and the space inside the pole.
The sensor case is arranged on the control board in the space inside the cover.
A temperature sensor for detecting temperature is arranged on the control board in the space inside the pole.
The snowfall sensor according to claim 3, wherein the sensor control unit controls the operation of the distance measuring sensor and the heater. The snowfall sensor according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a part of the control board is supported by the inner wall of the cover. The space inside the cover where the distance measuring sensor and the heater are arranged, which is arranged at the connection portion between the cover and the pole, and the space inside the pole where the temperature sensor is arranged are partitioned, and the control board is provided. The snowfall sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising a partition plate for holding the above. The pole has a cover connected to one end side, an insertion port into which an antenna mast is inserted, and a cable hole penetrating a peripheral wall in the middle of the axial direction.
The snowfall sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein a cable having a feeder line and connecting the control board and the snowmelt device is arranged through the cable hole. The snowfall sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
With snowmelt equipment,
A control device that is configured to be capable of supplying power and transmitting / receiving signals to the snowfall sensor and that operates the snowmelting device by an operation signal from the sensor control unit.
A snowmelt device equipped with.

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