JP3261479B2 - Water meter - 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 of a water meter for measuring the amount of tap water used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional water meter is constructed, for example, as shown in FIGS. That is, the inlet 2
A lower pivot shaft 14 protruding upward is provided at the center of the inner lower surface of the measuring device main body 1 including the discharge port 3 and the water wheel 4 is rotatably mounted on the lower pivot shaft 14. ing. A worm 5 is formed above the water wheel 4, and an upper pivot shaft 17 projecting upward is provided at an upper end of the worm 5. The blades are provided radially around the outside of the shaft head of the water turbine 4. As shown in FIG. 7, a shaft insertion hole 15 into which the lower pivot shaft 14 is inserted is formed at the center of the low surface of the shaft head of the water turbine 4, and a pivot support portion 16 is formed at the end of the shaft insertion hole 15. ing. And
The pivot support 16 of the water wheel 4 is the lower pivot shaft 1
4 is supported at the upper end of the water wheel 4, and the amount of protrusion of the lower pivot shaft 14 is set so that a predetermined gap is formed between the blades of the water wheel 4 and the inner bottom surface of the measuring device main body 1 in this state. 4 is rotatable about its axis.
The tap water that has flowed into the meter body 1 from the inflow port 2 flows out of the discharge port 3, and impinges on the blades of the water wheel 4 on the way to rotate the water wheel 4.

On the upper side of the water wheel 4, there is provided a disk-shaped cover plate 6 having a hole through which a worm 5 penetrates upward, and a pair of left and right walls 7a on the lower surface.
A sensor installation plate 7 whose lower end is connected to the cover plate 6, and a substantially roller-shaped worm gear 9 meshed with the worm 5, both ends of which are rotatably supported by both walls of the sensor installation plate 7. . Of these, magnets 10 are provided at predetermined positions on both sides of the worm gear 9. Further, a sensor mounting portion 8 is provided on the sensor mounting plate 7, and a sensor 11 for detecting rotation of the worm gear 9 is detachably mounted on the sensor mounting portion 8. These waterwheels 4,
The cover plate 6, the worm gear 9, and the sensor installation plate 7
It is assembled in a predetermined state and housed in the weighing instrument main body 1.

A screw portion 1 is provided on an outer peripheral surface of an upper portion of the measuring device main body 1.
a is formed, and the upper cover 12 is
By screwing together, the upper end opening of the measuring instrument main body 1 is closed. Here, a hole for taking out a lead wire led out from the sensor 11 to the outside of the weighing instrument main body 1 is provided in a central portion of the upper cover 12. At a predetermined position on the building wall where the water meter is installed, a digital meter (cumulative indicator) 13 for accumulating and displaying the amount of tap water used is attached.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional water meter, the lower pivot shaft 14 is provided at the center of the inner lower surface of the meter body 1 so as to protrude upward, while the water wheel 4 is provided.
A shaft insertion hole 15 into which the lower pivot shaft 14 is inserted is provided at a shaft end of the shaft, and a pivot support portion 16 is formed at the back end thereof.
The waterwheel 4 is supported by receiving the pivot support portion 16 with a protrusion slightly protruding from the tip (upper end) of the lower pivot shaft 14. For this reason, although the flow rate of tap water is extremely small, the water wheel 4 may fall so that the axial direction of the water wheel 4 forms a slight angle with respect to the axial direction of the lower pivot shaft 14. In this case, not only the contact resistance between the outer peripheral surface of the lower pivot shaft 14 and the inner peripheral surface of the shaft insertion hole 15 increases, but also the frictional resistance between the distal end portion of the lower pivot shaft 14 and the pivot support portion 16 increases. However, there has been a problem that the turbine 4 does not rotate smoothly.

Further, since the cylindrical worm gear 9 meshed with the worm 5 formed on the upper portion of the water wheel 4 also has a predetermined weight and moment of inertia, the torque acting on the water wheel 4 is small because the flow rate of tap water is small. If weak,
The worm gear 9 does not rotate smoothly, and as a result, there is a problem that the flow rate of tap water that should be detected by the sensor 11 is not detected at all or accurately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a water meter for measuring the amount of tap water used, by reducing the weight of the water turbine and improving its support structure, so that the water turbine can smoothly run even when only a very small amount of tap water flows. To be able to rotate. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the weight of a worm gear rotated by a water turbine through a worm, so that the rotational force of the water turbine is reliably transmitted to the worm gear even when the flow rate of tap water is extremely small. Therefore, the purpose is to accurately detect the amount of tap water used.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a measuring instrument body 1 having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3 and an upper end opening of the measuring instrument body 1 which is detachably attached to the upper end of the measuring instrument body 1. A water meter having an upper cover 12 for closing the part and a water wheel 4 arranged in the meter body 1 and driven to rotate by inflow water is characterized in that it is configured as follows.

That is, a protruding portion 20 is formed at the center of the inner lower surface of the measuring device main body 1, and a pivot support 21 is provided at the center of the upper end of the protruding portion 20. On the other hand, a projecting portion insertion space 22 into which the projecting portion 20 can be inserted is located below the shaft head of the water turbine 4.
And a space 23 whose lower end faces the protrusion insertion space 22
Are formed so that these center lines coincide with the axis of the water turbine 4. A lower pivot shaft 14 is provided on the shaft head of the water turbine 4 downward on the axis thereof.
4 is set so as to protrude into the protrusion insertion space 22 through the space 23. And the lower pivot shaft 14
Of the water wheel 4 is rotatably supported around the axis of the lower pivot shaft 14 by receiving the distal end of the water wheel 4 with the pivot support portion 21 of the projecting portion 20.

In addition, a worm 5 is provided above the shaft of the water wheel 4 so as to rotate integrally therewith. A gear mounting plate 24 having a worm gear incision hole 25 and worm gear support bases 29 provided at predetermined positions on both sides thereof is disposed above the water wheel 4. The worm gear support base 29 of the gear installation plate 24 has an incision hole 2 for worm meshing.
The worm gear 26 in the form of a super gear that meshes with the worm 5 by entering the worm 5 is rotatably supported.

The worm gear 26 has a plurality of (three in the embodiments described later) through-holes 27 formed through the worm gear 26 so as to be spaced apart from each other along a circle centered on the axis of the worm gear 26. And a magnet 10 used for sensing the rotation of the worm gear 26, and a balance maintaining sub-material 28 for maintaining a weight balance.

Above the gear installation plate 24, a pivot support portion 32 having a pivot support set screw 34 at the center thereof is installed, and a water wheel support upper plate 33 having a sensor through hole 35 formed on one side thereof is disposed. . Further, above the water turbine support upper plate 33, a sensor 11 that penetrates the sensor through hole 35 downward and detects rotation of the worm gear 26 is provided.
The sensor installation plate 36 provided with is disposed.

[0013]

The principle of measuring the amount of tap water used by the water meter of the present invention is basically the same as that of the conventional one. That is, when tap water flows into the measuring instrument body 1 through the inflow port 2, the water turbine 4 is rotated by the flowed tap water, and the rotation of the water wheel 4 is transmitted to the worm gear 26 via the worm 5. The worm gear 26 is rotated in a predetermined direction. The amount of rotation of the worm gear 26 is detected by the sensor 1 via the magnet 10 provided on the worm gear 26.
By sensing at 1, the amount of tap water used is measured.

In such a water meter, according to the present invention, since the protrusion insertion space portion 22 which is larger than the conventional one is recessed below the shaft head of the water wheel 4, the water wheel is correspondingly formed. 4 is reduced in weight. Further, a protrusion 20 at the center of the inner bottom surface of the measuring instrument body 1 is located in the protrusion insertion space 22 of the water wheel 4, and a lower pivot shaft of the water wheel 4 is provided by a pivot support portion 21 provided at the center of the protrusion 20. 1
4, the pivot support 21
The contact area between the shaft and the lower pivot shaft 14 is extremely small, and the frictional resistance between the two is reduced accordingly. Thus, even when only a very small amount of tap water flows, the water wheel 4 rotates smoothly.

The worm gear 26, which is driven to rotate by the rotation of the water wheel 4 via the worm 5, employs a thin super gear form and is formed with a plurality of meat extraction holes 27. The resistance due to the weight of 26 is greatly reduced. Therefore, even when the turbine 4 rotates only slowly due to the small amount of tap water inflow,
The rotational force of the water wheel 4 is faithfully transmitted to the worm gear 26, so that the worm gear 26 rotates reliably. The magnet 10 that rotates integrally with the worm gear 26
, The flow rate of tap water is accurately measured. Thus, even when the flow rate of tap water is extremely small, it is possible to accurately measure the amount of tap water used.

When only one magnet 10 is provided on the worm gear 26, the weight of the magnet 10 may cause the weight balance around the rotation center of the worm gear 26 to be lost and the worm gear 26 may not rotate correctly. In the water meter of the present invention, the worm gear 26 is provided with the balance maintaining sub-material 28 as a means for correcting the imbalance due to the weight of the magnet 10, so that the worm gear 26 rotates smoothly without causing a weight imbalance. It will be.

Further, a pivot support portion 32 is provided on a water wheel support upper plate 33 disposed above the gear installation plate 24, and a pivot support set screw 34 disposed at the center of the water wheel support upper plate 33 is provided with an upper pivot shaft 17. Is supported, the amount of screwing of the pivot support set screw 34 can be adjusted so as to optimize the pivot support state of the water wheel 4. Thus, by adjusting the pivot support state of the water wheel 4 via the pivot support set screw 34, smooth rotation of the water wheel 4 can be ensured.

[0018]

1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention. 1 to 3, the water meter of the present invention has a meter body 1 having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3. A truncated cone-shaped projection 20 is formed at the center of the inner lower surface of the weighing instrument main body 1, and a pivot support 21 is provided at the center of the upper end thereof. This pivot support 21
A support port member (not shown) made of artificial sapphire is mounted to prevent abrasion thereof and reduce frictional resistance between the pivot support portion 21 and a lower pivot shaft 14 described later. I have.

A water wheel 4 is rotatably installed above the protruding portion 20 of the measuring device main body 1. A projecting portion insertion space portion 22 into which the projecting portion 20 can be inserted with a margin is formed in the lower part of the shaft head of the water wheel 4, and a space portion 23 is further formed above the projecting portion inserting space portion 22. Have been. Here, the projecting portion insertion space portion 22 and the space portion 23 are provided such that their center lines coincide with the axis of the water turbine 4. A lower pivot shaft 14 is provided downward on the back wall of the space portion 23 so as to coincide with the axis of the water wheel 4, and the lower end side protrudes into the protrusion insertion space portion 22. The distal end (lower end projection) of the lower pivot shaft 14 is received and supported by the pivot support 21.

An upper worm 5 that rotates integrally with the water wheel is provided on a shaft extending upward from the water wheel 4. A gear setting plate 24 is provided above the water wheel 4. The gear setting plate 24 has an incision hole 25 for worm meshing.
Are formed. The incision hole 25 for worm meshing has a central portion through which the upper side of the water wheel 4 and the upper worm 5 penetrate upward, and a lateral portion formed outward from the central portion and into which a lower portion of a worm gear 26 described later enters. Department. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the gear installation plate 24 has a worm gear support 29 provided at a predetermined position on both sides of a worm gear incision hole 25, and is pivotally supported by the worm gear support 29. The worm gear 26 in the form of a super gear having a small thickness is provided in which a part on the lower end side enters the incision hole 25 for worm engagement. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper worm 5 and the worm gear 26 mesh with each other in a state where the gear installation plate 24 is set on the upper side of the water wheel 4, and in this state, the lower end of the worm gear 26 interferes with the water wheel 4. It is configured such that a predetermined space is ensured between the worm gear 26 and the water wheel 4 so that the worm gear 26 and the water wheel 4 can rotate smoothly.

As shown in FIG. 4, a screw-type pivot support set screw 31 for pivotally supporting the pivot shaft 30 of the worm gear 26 is provided at the center of the worm gear support base 29. Set screw 31 to pivot shaft 3 of worm gear 26
By moving the pivot shaft 30 back and forth, the pivot support state of the pivot shaft 30 can be adjusted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the worm gear 26 is provided with three through-holes 27 on the same circumference and arranged at a certain interval from each other. . One magnet 10 is inserted between these meat extraction holes 27.
And a balance maintaining sub-material 28 made of brass having a specific gravity equivalent to that of the magnet 10 in order to prevent uneven distribution of weight by the magnet 10 and maintain balance as a rotating body.

Above the gear installation plate 24, a water turbine support upper plate 33 having a pivot support portion 32 at the center is disposed. A screw-type pivot support set screw 34 for pivotally supporting the upper pivot shaft 17 of the water turbine 4 is screwed to the center of the pivot support 32. A through hole 35 is formed. A sensor installation plate 36 is disposed above the water wheel support upper plate 33. The sensor 11 that penetrates downward through the sensor through hole 35 in the water turbine support upper plate 33 and senses the rotation of the worm gear 26 via the magnet 10 is attached to the sensor installation plate 36 downward. In addition,
Like the pivot support set screw 31 in the worm gear support 29 described above, the pivot support set screw 34 can adjust the amount of screwing into the pivot support 32 to adjust the pivot support state with respect to the upper pivot shaft 17. Has become.

Next, the operation of the water meter having the above configuration will be described. When tap water flows into the meter body 1 through the inflow port 2, the water wheel 4 is driven to rotate by the flow of the tap water. At this time, the projecting portion insertion space portion 22 that is larger than the conventional one is recessed below the shaft head of the water wheel 4, so that the weight of the water wheel 4 is reduced by that much. In addition, a protrusion 20 at the center of the inner bottom surface of the measuring device main body 1 is located in the protrusion insertion space 22 of the water wheel 4, and a lower pivot of the water wheel 4 is provided by a pivot support 21 provided at the center of the protrusion 20. Since the tip of the shaft 14 is supported, the contact area between the pivot support 21 and the lower pivot 14 is reduced, and the frictional resistance between the two is reduced accordingly. Then, due to the reduction of the frictional resistance and the above-mentioned reduction of the weight of the turbine, the turbine 4 rotates smoothly even when only a very small amount of tap water flows. Moreover, since the pivot support 21 is provided with a support port member (not shown) made of artificial sapphire for preventing abrasion, the pivot support 21 may not be worn even if a water meter is used for a long time. Absent. Thereby, the durability of the pivot support 21 is improved.

When the water wheel 4 rotates as described above, the worm 5 formed on the upper portion thereof rotates integrally, and further, the worm gear 26 meshing with the worm 5 rotates. At this time, the worm gear 26 is formed to be thin in a super gear form so as to greatly reduce the resistance due to its weight, and since the three worm holes 27 are formed, the flow rate of tap water is reduced. Even when the turbine 4 rotates only slowly due to the small amount, the rotational force of the turbine 4 is reliably transmitted. This ensures that the worm gear 26 rotates even when the flow rate of tap water is extremely small. When the worm gear 26 rotates, the magnet 10 provided on the worm gear 26 also rotates together with the worm gear 10.
The rotation of the magnet 10 is sensed by the sensor 11 on the sensor installation plate 36, and a signal corresponding to the amount of rotation or the number of rotations of the magnet 10 is output to the digital integrating indicator 13. Thereby, the rotation amount or the number of rotations of the water wheel 4 according to the flow rate of the tap water is integrated by the digital integration indicator 13. In this way, even when the inflow of tap water is extremely small, the amount of tap water used is accurately determined and displayed by the digital integrating display 13.

When only one magnet 10 is provided on the worm gear 26, the weight of the magnet 10 may cause the weight balance around the rotation center of the worm gear 26 to be lost, and the worm gear 26 may not rotate correctly. However, according to the water meter of the present invention, the worm gear 2 is used as a means for correcting imbalance due to the weight of the magnet 10.
Since the balance maintaining sub-member 28 is provided in the worm gear 6, the worm gear 26 rotates smoothly without causing a weight imbalance.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper pivot shaft 17 of the water wheel 4 is connected to a pivot support set screw 31 screwed to a pivot support portion 32, and as shown in FIG. 4, the pivot shaft 30 of the worm gear 26 is connected. , Are pivotally supported by pivot support set screws 31 screwed to the worm gear support 29, respectively. By adjusting the amount of screwing of these pivot support set screws 31, the pivot support of the water wheel 4 and the worm gear 26 can be adjusted. Since the state can be adjusted, smooth rotation of the water wheel 4 and the worm gear 26 can be ensured even by such adjustment of the pivot support state. That is, each of the pivot support set screws 3 is adjusted so that the pivot support state of the water wheel 4 and the worm gear 26 is optimized.
By adjusting the amount of screwing of 1, the worm 5 and the worm gear 26 located above the water wheel 4 are meshed in an optimal state, so that the water wheel 4 and the worm gear 26 rotate smoothly. . Therefore, even when only a very small amount of tap water flows, the flow rate can be accurately detected.

[0028]

As described above, according to the water meter of the present invention, not only the weight of the water turbine is reduced, but also the frictional resistance between the pivot supporting portion and the lower pivot shaft is reduced. Since the pivot support state is adjustable, the water wheel and the worm gear associated therewith can be rotated with little water flow and quietly. In addition, a worm gear that meshes with the worm provided above the water wheel and rotates with the rotation of the water wheel is formed thinly in the form of a super gear, and the weight of the worm gear is significantly increased by providing a hole for removing the meat at a predetermined position. Can be reduced. With these, even when only a small amount of tap water flows, it is possible to accurately measure the flow rate, so it is possible to accurately grasp the amount of tap water consumption through a digital integrating display that displays the result. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a water meter showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an assembled state of a water meter.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view illustrating a water wheel supporting portion of the water meter.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view illustrating an installation state of a worm gear.

FIG. 5 is a partial side view illustrating an installation state of a worm gear and a sensor.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional water meter.

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a water wheel supporting portion of a conventional water meter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Measuring instrument main body 2 Inflow port 3 Outlet port 4 Waterwheel 5 Warm 6 Cover plate 7 Sensor installation plate 8 Sensor mounting part 9 Worm gear 10 Magnet 11 Sensor 12 Upper cover 13 Digital measuring instrument (integration indicator) 14 Lower pivot axis 15 Axis insertion Hole 16 Pivot support part 17 Upper pivot shaft 20 Projection part 21 Pivot support part 22 Projection insertion space part 23 Space part 24 Gear installation plate 25 Worm toothing cutout hole 26 Worm gear 27 Meat extraction hole 28 Balance maintaining auxiliary material 29 Warm gear support Table 30 Pivot shaft 31 ・ 34 Pivot support set screw 32 Pivot support 33 Water turbine support upper plate 35 Sensor through hole 36 Sensor installation plate

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kang Tai-kei 19-9 Seodae-dong 3rd Street, West-gu, Busan, Korea Republic APT1202, No. 60 Obayashi APT1202 (56) References ) JP-A 4-29827 (JP, U) JP-A 59-25422 (JP, U) JP-A 5-1784 (JP, Y2) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01F 1/06

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A measuring instrument main body 1 having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3; an upper cover 12 detachably attached to an upper end of the measuring instrument main body 1 to close an upper end opening of the measuring instrument main body 1. A water meter having a water wheel 4 disposed in the measuring device main body 1 and driven to rotate by inflow water, wherein a protruding portion 20 is formed in the center of the inner lower surface of the measuring device main body 1, A pivot support portion 21 is provided at the center of the upper end of the portion 20.
A projecting portion insertion space portion 22 into which the projecting portion 20 can be inserted, and a space portion 23 having a lower end facing the projecting portion insertion space portion 22 are provided below the shaft head of the water wheel 4. The center line of these is aligned with the axis of the water wheel 4 and is formed in a recessed state. The shaft head of the water wheel 4 has a lower pivot shaft 14 on its axis.
Is provided downward and protrudes into the protrusion insertion space 22 through the space 23, and the distal end of the lower pivot shaft 14 is received by the pivot support 21 of the protrusion 20. By the water wheel 4
Is rotatably supported about the axis of the lower pivot shaft 14. A worm 5 that rotates integrally with the water wheel 4 is provided above the shaft of the water wheel 4. , A gear installation plate 24 having a worm gear incision hole 25 and worm gear support bases 29 provided at predetermined positions on both sides of the worm gear. The worm gear support base 29 in the gear installation plate 24 includes:
A worm gear 26 in the form of a super gear that enters the incision hole 25 and meshes with the worm 5 is rotatably supported. The worm gear 26 is spaced apart from each other along a circle centered on its axis. A plurality of meat extraction holes 27 penetratingly formed so as to be positioned at a position, a magnet 10 used to sense rotation of the worm gear 26, and a balance maintaining sub-material 28 for maintaining a weight balance are provided. Above the gear installation plate 24, a pivot support portion 32 having a pivot support set screw 34 in the center is installed, and a water wheel support upper plate 33 having a sensor through hole 35 formed on one side thereof is arranged. A sensor mounting plate 36 having the sensor 11 that penetrates the sensor through hole 35 downward and detects the rotation of the worm gear 26 is provided above the water wheel supporting upper plate 33. Water meter, characterized in that it is location.