JP3209575B2 - Meter reading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a meter reading device for reading a pointer value of a water meter or the like by optical communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 2, a needle detector 1 of this type includes a display unit 3 and a reading switch 4 on a front side of a case 2;
The rear side of the case 2 was provided with a photoelectric element for optical communication.

A meter 5 such as a water meter is connected by a cable 5 to a repeater (hereinafter referred to as a terminal) 7 attached to a wall or the like of a house 6 as shown in FIG. In order to read the pointer value of the water meter 5 with the meter reader 1 and read the meter, the photoelectric element for optical communication provided in front of the terminal 7 (right side in the figure) is set so that the photoelectric element on the back side of the meter detector 1 faces. At this time, the operator holds the case of the needle detector 1 by hand, sets the case at the facing position, and operates the read switch 4 to read the meter.

When the reading switch 4 is depressed, the power switch of the meter reader 1 is turned on, the meter detector 1 starts operating, and the pointer value of the water meter 5 is read through the photoelectric element of the terminal 6 by optical communication. Complete.

The arrow A in FIG. 3 indicates two-way communication by optical communication.

[0006]

In the above prior art,
The operation of setting the meter reader 1 in the terminal 6 and then pressing the reading switch 4 of the meter reader 1 was troublesome. In particular, it is difficult to press the small read switch 4 with gloves in a cold region.

Also, since the reading switch is pressed each time the meter is read,
As the life of the read switch is shortened, it is necessary to improve its reliability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a meter reading device that can automatically read a pointer value of a meter simply by setting a meter reading device facing a terminal without a reading switch of the meter reading device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a meter reading device according to the present invention comprises a photoelectric sensor provided in a meter reader and a terminal, respectively, with the meter set at a predetermined position facing the terminal. In a system for performing optical communication via an element and reading a pointer value of a meter connected to a terminal and a cable, a magnet built in the terminal and a terminal when a meter detector is set at the predetermined facing position with respect to the terminal. And a magnetic sensor built in the meter so as to detect the magnetic field of the magnet and turn on the power of the meter. The reading of the pointer value of the meter is started by the magnetic sensor.

[0009]

When the operator holds the meter and sets it at a predetermined position facing the terminal, the magnetic sensor of the meter turns on the power of the meter in response to the magnet of the terminal.

Then, the meter starts to operate, and the pointer value of the meter is read between the meter and the terminal by optical communication using a photoelectric element.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a needle detector, which has a built-in reed switch as a magnetic sensor 7 and a photoelectric element 8 for optical communication near the back side of a case 2. Reference numeral 3 denotes a display unit provided on the front surface of the case 2.

The reed switch 7 is inserted in a power supply circuit of the meter reader 1. When the reed switch 7 is closed, the power of the meter reader 1 is turned on, and a well-known meter reading circuit (not shown) operates. , The pointer reading of the meter is read, but a known meter reading circuit inside the meter reader is not shown.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a terminal, and a magnet 9 is provided near the front of the terminal.
And a photoelectric element 10 as shown in FIG.
The reed switch 7 is opposed to the magnet 9 in a state in which the
And 10 are positioned so that they face each other.

The internal structure of the terminal 6 is the same as that of the prior art, except that the magnet 9 is newly built in, and other electronic circuits including the photoelectric element 10 are omitted. It is.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, when the operator holds the needle detector 1 by hand and puts it at a predetermined position shown in the drawing so as to face the terminal 6, the reed switch 7 closes in response to the magnet 9, and the needle detector is closed. 1 Turn on the power.

Then, the meter reading circuit of the meter reading device 1 operates, signals are exchanged between the photoelectric elements 8 and 10 by optical communication, and the pointer value of the meter is read and displayed on the display section 3. In the meter reading operation, when the power of the meter reader 1 is turned on by the reed switch 7, the photoelectric element 8 as the first optical signal transmitting / receiving element transmits a communication start signal, and the signal is used as the second optical signal transmitting / receiving element. After the photoelectric element 10 receives the signal, the first optical signal transmitting / receiving element 8
The bidirectional communication using light is the same as a known communication method.

[0017]

The meter reading apparatus of the present invention is constructed as described above, and does not include the conventional push-button type reading switch (4), and is automatically set only by setting the meter at a predetermined position facing the terminal. Since the meter reading operation for reading the pointer value of the meter is started, the operation is simple and easy, and the reliability of the reading switch is not concerned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional needle detector.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a meter reading system including a meter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 needle detector 5 meter (water meter) 6 terminal 7 magnetic sensor (reed switch) 8,10 photoelectric element 9 magnet

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G08C 19/00 301 G08C 19/00 G01F 15/06

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a state in which a meter detector is set at a predetermined facing position with respect to a terminal, optical communication is performed via photoelectric devices provided in the meter detector and the terminal, respectively, and a pointer of a meter connected to the terminal by a cable. In a system for reading a value, a magnet included in a terminal, and a meter detector that detects a magnetic field of a magnet of the terminal and turns on a power of the meter when the meter is set at the predetermined facing position with respect to the terminal. And a magnetic sensor built in,
A meter reading device configured to start reading a pointer value of a meter by a magnetic sensor.