JP2778264B2 - Flowmeter - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flow meter such as a gas meter which individually integrates and displays the used flow rate of each appliance such as a gas appliance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional gas meter does not have a function of individually accumulating and displaying a used gas flow rate for each gas appliance, but merely displays an integrated gas flow rate passing through a gas meter. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a conventional gas meter, and FIG. 3 shows a flow rate integrating system for each gas appliance using the conventional gas meter. In FIG. 2, 1 is a primary gas pipe, 2 is a secondary gas pipe, 3 is a measuring means, 4 is an integrating means, and 5 is a display means. In the membrane gas meter, the measuring means 3 is configured to output a pulse signal in conjunction with the movement of the membrane, and the integrating means 4 integrates the flow rate value corresponding to the pulse signal every time a pulse is input. Then, the integrated value is displayed on the display means 5 made of, for example, a liquid crystal. In FIG. 3, 1 is a primary gas pipe, 2 is a secondary gas pipe, 6 is a first gas meter, 7 is a second gas meter, and 8 to 10 are gas appliances. As shown in FIG. 3, the second gas meter, like the first gas meter, is installed outdoors so that a meter reader of the gas can easily see the gas meter from outside.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, as described above, the second gas meter also needs to be installed at a position where outdoor meter readers can easily see it. there were. Further, even if the installation place is secured, the secondary gas pipe 2 to the gas appliance 10 for which individual integration is to be performed must be performed independently of the secondary gas pipes to the other gas appliances 8 and 9. There was a problem that construction was extremely difficult.

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a first
The purpose of this is to increase the degree of freedom of the installation location of the second gas meter and to facilitate the plumbing work.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a flow meter according to the present invention, comprising: a measuring means for measuring a flow rate; and a first means for displaying information on the flow rate measured by the measuring means. Display means, receiving means for receiving information related to the flow value measured by another flow meter, storage means for storing information received by the receiving means, and second display for displaying information from the storage means It has a configuration of means.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the integrated display of the total flow value used in all the gas appliances and the integrated display of the used gas flow value for each individual gas appliance can be displayed by one gas meter. The degree of freedom of the installation location of the second gas meter for measuring and integrating the used flow rate of the appliance can be improved, and the piping work can be facilitated.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, 1 is a primary gas pipe, 2 is a secondary gas pipe, 3 is first measuring means installed outdoors, 4 is integrating means, 8 to 10 are gas appliances, and 11 is display switching means. Numeral 12 denotes a liquid crystal display, and the display means 13 comprises these.
Is configured. 14 is a storage means, 15 is an ultrasonic detector as a receiving antenna, 16 is a receiving circuit, and these constitute the receiving means 17. Reference numeral 18 denotes a gas meter, which is the above-mentioned measuring means 3, integrating means 4, display means 13, and storage means 1.
4. Consisting of receiving means 17. 19th is the indoor installed
The second measuring means 20 is an integrating means. Reference numeral 21 denotes an ultrasonic transmitter as a transmission antenna, and reference numeral 22 denotes a transmission circuit. Reference numeral 24 denotes an indoor gas meter, which comprises the measuring means 19, the integrating means 20, and the transmitting means 23. The same reference numerals are given to the same functional blocks as in the conventional example.

First, the operation of the gas meter 24 on the indoor side will be described. When the gas appliance 10 is used, gas is supplied to the gas appliance 10 via the measuring unit 19, and the gas flow rate is measured by the measuring unit 19. The measured gas flow rate is calculated by integrating means 2
It is integrated and stored by 0. The integrated value stored in the integrating means 20 is transmitted ultrasonically into the secondary gas pipe 2 via the transmitting means 23 periodically (for example, once a day).

Next, the operation of the gas meter 18 on the indoor side will be described. The flow rate of the gas flowing through the secondary gas pipe 2 is measured by the measuring means 3 and integrated and stored by the integrating means 4. The integrated value stored is displayed on the liquid crystal display 12 via the display switching means 11. The receiving means 17 is configured to perform a receiving operation in synchronization with the timing at which the indoor gas meter 24 transmits ultrasonic waves in order to save power. As a method of synchronization, for example, a clock is provided in the gas meter 18, and a transmission / reception time is determined in advance with the gas meter 24, and the reception unit 17 is operated at that time. Then, the clock in the gas meter 18 may be adjusted based on the time at which the signal from the gas meter 24 is received. The ultrasonic signal transmitted from the gas meter 24 is detected by the ultrasonic detector 15 and demodulated by the receiving circuit 16 to the original integrated value. The demodulated integrated value is stored in the storage means 14 and is supplied to the liquid crystal display 12 via the display switching means 11.
Will be displayed.

As described above, the gas meter 18 is installed outdoors at a place where the gas meter is easy to see, and measures the total use flow rate of all the gas appliances 8 to 10 connected to the secondary gas pipe 2 and displays the total flow rate. On the other hand, the gas meter 24 is installed in an easy-to-install place near the specific gas appliance 10 and the gas appliance 1
At 0, the gas flow rate used is measured, and the integrated value is transmitted by ultrasonic wave through the secondary gas pipe 2, and the integrated gas value used by the gas appliance 10 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 12 on the gas meter 18.

The display means 12 is a display switching means 11
The integrated value displayed on the liquid crystal display 12 by the total flow rate,
Although the flow rate of the gas appliance 10 is selected, two display means may be provided, and the total flow rate display and the flow rate display of the gas appliance 10 may be displayed in parallel.

Also, the integrated value is transmitted as transmission information,
The instantaneous flow rate value may be transmitted instead of the integrated value.

Although an ultrasonic wave is used as a transmission medium for transmitting the integrated value of the gas appliance 10, the present invention is not limited to the ultrasonic wave. For example, the transmitting means 23 and the receiving means 17 may be configured to use radio waves.

Further, in the above embodiment, a gas meter has been described, but a power meter may be used. At this time, the transmission means uses radio waves or the like.

[0015]

As described above, according to the flow meter of the present invention, the integrated value of the used flow rate of each of the appliances and the integrated value of the used flow amount of a plurality of appliances can be displayed by one flow meter. Therefore, the following effects are obtained.

(1) A flow meter that measures and integrates the flow rate of individual instruments can be omitted in the display function, so that it is small and can be installed anywhere. For example, it can be incorporated in a device.

(2) Since a flow meter for measuring and integrating the flow rates of individual instruments can be installed near the instruments, no special construction is required.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a gas meter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional gas meter.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a flow rate integration system for each gas appliance using a conventional gas meter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3, 19 Measuring means 11 Display switching means 13 Display means 14 Storage means 15 Ultrasonic detector (antenna) 17 Receiving means 18 Gas meter 21 Ultrasonic transmitter (antenna) 23 Transmitting means

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-172096 (JP, A) JP-A-62-49500 (JP, A) JP-A-2-130100 (JP, U) (58) Survey Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01F 3/22 G01F 15/06

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] A first measuring means for measuring a flow rate;
Display means for displaying information about the flow rate measured by the first measuring means, receiving means for receiving information about the flow rate value measured by the second measuring means, and storage for storing information received by the receiving means Means, wherein the display means also displays information from the storage means. 2. The flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the display means has a display switching means, and the display of the flow rate of each measuring means can be selectively switched. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means has an ultrasonic detector for detecting ultrasonic waves in the gas pipe, and is configured to receive flow rate information transmitted by being superimposed on ultrasonic waves through the gas pipe. Alternatively, the flow meter according to claim 2. 4. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means has an antenna for receiving a radio wave and is configured to receive flow rate information transmitted on the radio wave. 5. A first measuring means for measuring a flow rate, wherein:
Table information relating to the measured flow rate by the first measuring means
Display means for indicating and the flow measured by the second measuring means.
Transmitting means for transmitting information relating to the quantity;
Receiving means for receiving information on the flow rate values thereof,
Storage means for storing information received by the communication means.
The display means also displays information from the storage means.
Flow meter with configuration . 6. The flow rate according to claim 5, wherein the transmission means has an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting an ultrasonic wave into the gas pipe, and is configured to transmit the flow rate information on the ultrasonic wave through the gas pipe. Total. 7. The flowmeter according to claim 5, wherein the transmitting means has an antenna for transmitting a radio wave, and is configured to transmit the flow rate information on the radio wave.