JP3473458B2 - Gas security equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention measures a gas flow rate and shuts off a gas passage when an abnormal flow rate is measured.
The present invention relates to a gas safety device that secures safety in using gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, when a gas meter for measuring the amount of gas used measures a large amount of flow, or when the gas meter has been used for an unusually long time, the gas passage is judged to be abnormal. Those that have a built-in security device that shuts off and secures safety are in widespread use.

In the flow rate measuring system of this type of gas safety device, a membrane type meter for measuring the flow rate from the volume passed through the meter within a predetermined time and an ultrasonic sensor at a predetermined time interval are operated to measure the instantaneous flow rate. A meter to measure is common.

A gas safety device using a conventional ultrasonic sensor will be described with reference to FIG. When measuring a normal gas usage, the control circuit 1 sends an operation signal to the ultrasonic sensor drive circuit 2 at a predetermined time interval to operate the ultrasonic sensor 3 to instantaneously flow the gas flowing through the flow path 4. To measure.
Then, the integrated gas usage amount is measured based on the instantaneous flow rate data returned from the ultrasonic sensor drive circuit 2. Also,
The control circuit 1 determines whether or not the measured amount of gas used is abnormal, and if it is determined to be abnormal, an operation signal is sent to the shutoff valve drive circuit 5 to close the shutoff valve 6 to stop the gas. Generally, such a gas shutoff device uses a battery 7 as a power source because it is installed outdoors and is convenient for installation.

[0005]

However, due to the diversification of the installation environment of the gas safety device, it has been necessary to downsize the gas safety device itself.

[0006]

According to the present invention , a gas is flowed.
A channel, a shut-off valve for interrupting the ultrasonic sensor for measuring the flow rate of the gas, before Symbol a measuring interval setting means capable of arbitrarily changing the interval at which to operate the ultrasonic sensor, the abnormality sometimes used gas flow passage, the blocking A shutoff valve drive circuit for operating the valve, a control circuit for controlling the shutoff valve, the measurement interval setting means, and the ultrasonic sensor, and an abnormal gas usage based on the actual usage of the gas.
Equipped with a cutoff level learning means for setting the cutoff level during use
Set the cutoff level by the cutoff level learning means.
During the learning period during which the
The gas storage that controls the measurement interval setting means in this way
It is a safe device.

According to the present invention, since the measurement interval of the instantaneous flow rate by the ultrasonic sensor can be changed according to the frequency of use of gas and the environmental change, the number of operating times of the ultrasonic sensor can be reduced to reduce the current consumption and the battery. The gas safety device can be downsized by downsizing.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Since the gas safety device according to the first means of the present invention can change the flow rate measurement interval by the ultrasonic sensor, the measurement interval is lengthened when the accuracy of measurement is low, and the ultrasonic sensor By reducing the current consumption and reducing the size of the battery, the gas safety device is downsized.

The gas safety device according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises a cut-off level learning means for setting a cut-off level at the time of abnormal use of the gas based on the actual usage of the gas, with a predetermined period as a learning period after installation. By providing the measurement interval setting means for improving the measurement accuracy by finely measuring the flow rate measurement interval by the ultrasonic sensor during the learning period, high-accuracy data can be obtained during learning. However, it does not impair safety. Therefore, lengthen the measurement interval during normal use, reduce the current consumption of the ultrasonic sensor,
By reducing the size of the battery, the size of the gas safety device has been reduced.

The gas safety device according to the third means of the present invention, after the installation, sets a predetermined period as a learning period, and a cutoff level learning means for setting a cutoff level at the time of abnormal use of the gas based on the actual usage of the gas. In the first half of the learning period, the measurement accuracy of the flow rate is improved by making the flow sensor measurement intervals finer, and in the latter half of the learning period, the measurement is performed when gas is not used or when the gas has the same pattern as the learned gas use pattern. The measuring interval setting means for lengthening the interval further reduces the current consumption during learning as compared with the second means of the present invention and downsizes the battery, thereby realizing the downsizing of the gas safety device.

In the gas safety device according to the fourth means of the present invention, the frequency of use of gas during the learning period is calculated for each time zone, and the flow rate measurement interval by the ultrasonic sensor is adjusted according to the frequency of gas use. By providing a measurement interval setting unit that changes the gas, the gas security device can be downsized by lengthening the measurement interval during the time when gas is rarely used, reducing the current consumption of the ultrasonic sensor, and downsizing the battery. It was done.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a gas safety device according to a first means of the present invention. The basic configuration is the same as the description of the conventional example, and the difference between this embodiment and the conventional example is that the measurement interval setting means 8 that can change the flow rate measurement interval by the ultrasonic sensor to an arbitrary interval is added. With the measurement interval setting means of the present invention, the measurement interval can be lengthened when no gas is used or when there is no change in the flow rate used, and when measurement accuracy is not so required. As a result, the number of operations of the ultrasonic sensor 3 is reduced and current consumption is reduced, so that the battery 7 can be downsized.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a gas safety device according to a second means of the present invention. The basic configuration is the same as the description of the conventional example, and the difference between this example and the conventional example is the measurement interval setting means 8 that can change the flow rate measurement interval by the ultrasonic sensor to an arbitrary interval, and when abnormal gas is used. This means that the cutoff level learning means 9 for setting the cutoff level is added. The cutoff level learning means 9 is a well-known means. The novelty of the present invention is to change the flow rate measurement interval by the ultrasonic sensor during learning and after learning is completed. FIG. 3 shows the operation intervals of the ultrasonic sensor for measuring the gas flow rate according to the second means of the present invention.
In the learning period for setting the cutoff level as shown in the figure, the measurement interval is made fine to improve the measurement accuracy. Further, after the learning is completed, the measurement interval can be increased as shown in the figure, the number of times the ultrasonic sensor is operated can be reduced, and the current consumption can be reduced.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 4 shows an operation interval of an ultrasonic sensor for measuring a gas flow rate according to the third means of the present invention. In this method, the learning period shown in the second method is divided into two, the measurement interval is made fine in the first half as in the figure as in the case of the second method, and in the latter half, it is the same as the gas usage pattern when no gas is used or once learned. By increasing the measurement interval during the pattern, the current consumption can be reduced as compared with the second means.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 5 shows an operation interval of an ultrasonic sensor for measuring a gas flow rate according to a fourth means of the present invention. In this means, the daily gas usage frequency as shown in the figure is calculated for each time period during the learning period and recorded as gas usage frequency data. Then, based on the above data, a time other than the time zone in which a margin is added before and after the time zone in which the gas may be used is set as the gas unused time zone. This is the part shown in the shaded area in the figure. The current consumption can be reduced by lengthening the measurement interval in the shaded time zone and reducing the number of times the ultrasonic sensor operates.

As described above , according to the gas safety device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the number of times the ultrasonic sensor operates can be reduced, so that the current consumption can be reduced and the battery can be miniaturized. The gas safety device can be downsized.
In addition, the gas safety device according to the second embodiment of the present invention
Then, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, during the learning period
Abnormal use of gas by making the measurement interval fine
Safety can improve the accuracy of the interruption level when
Is improved.

Gas security device according to a third embodiment of the present invention
According to the arrangement, in addition to the effect of the second embodiment,
Moreover, the current consumption can be reduced and the battery can be miniaturized.

Gas security equipment according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention
According to U.S., ultrasonic waves are used according to the daily gas usage pattern.
Since the number of sensor operations can be reduced,
The same effect as the embodiment is obtained.

[0020]

【The invention's effect】 As described above, the present invention provides a flow path for flowing gas.
And an ultrasonic sensor for measuring the flow rate of gas, and the ultrasonic wave
Measurement interval setting that allows you to change the interval at which the sensor operates
Regulating means and a shutoff valve for shutting off the gas flow path during abnormal use,
A shutoff valve drive circuit for operating the shutoff valve, and the shutoff valve
And controlling the measurement interval setting means and the ultrasonic sensor.
When the gas is abnormally used based on the control circuit and the actual usage of the gas
And a cutoff level learning means for setting the cutoff level of
A technique for setting the cutoff level by the cutoff level learning means.
Finely set the flow rate measurement interval with the ultrasonic sensor during the training period.
By controlling the measurement interval setting means so that
Improves the accuracy of the cutoff level when gas is abnormally used.
Can improve safety.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a gas safety device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a gas safety device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation interval of ultrasonic sensors of the device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing operation intervals of ultrasonic sensors of a gas safety device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation interval of the ultrasonic sensor of the gas safety device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional gas security device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 control circuit 2 Ultrasonic sensor drive circuit 3 Ultrasonic sensor 4 channels 5 Shut-off valve drive circuit 6 shut-off valve 7 batteries 8 Measuring interval setting means 9 Cutoff level learning means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-7-151574 (JP, A) JP-A-7-44240 (JP, A) JP-A-5-113354 (JP, A) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01F 1/00-9/02

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A flow path for flowing a 1. A gas, an ultrasonic sensor for measuring the flow rate of the gas, before Symbol a measuring interval setting means capable of arbitrarily changing the interval at which to operate the ultrasonic sensor, the abnormality sometimes used gas channel A shutoff valve for shutting off, a shutoff valve drive circuit for operating the shutoff valve, the shutoff valve and the measurement interval setting means
And a control circuit for controlling the ultrasonic sensor and the use of gas.
Set the cutoff level when gas is abnormally used based on actual usage
Cut-off level learning means, said cut-off level learning means
Set the cutoff level by the ultrasonic sensor during the learning period.
To make the flow rate measurement interval by
A gas security device that controls the setting means. 2. The shutoff valve, the ultrasonic sensor, and the control
The gas safety device according to claim 1, further comprising a battery for supplying current to the circuit . 3. Further, when the gas is not used or once the gas is learned
Long measurement interval when using the same gas pattern
The gas safety device according to claim 1 or 2 .