JP3579547B2 - Gas shutoff control device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gas shutoff control device that controls the opening and closing of a gas shutoff valve mounted on a gas meter or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, gas meters installed in each home have a security function that automatically determines and shuts off gas in an emergency, using a microcomputer to judge an abnormal state based on not only the measurement of gas consumption but also the occurrence of an earthquake or the flow rate of gas. Is installed, so that the gas can be used more safely and safely.
[0003]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a gas shutoff valve as a gas shutoff device is mounted on a gas meter or the like of this type and is controlled by a battery power supply together with an electronic circuit including a microcomputer.
[0004]
In an emergency, the gas shut-off valve is driven by an electric pulse signal to close the plug, and the plug is usually opened by returning the gas shut-off valve by manual operation.
[0005]
However, instead of the conventional gas shut-off valve, a solenoid valve with an electric opening and closing mechanism has been built in so that it can be opened and closed by remote control, and the battery that is the control power supply also has a large capacity with an increased capacity. Batteries are being used.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional gas shut-off device has a problem that mounting a large-capacity battery or using a plurality of batteries in parallel increases the mounting area of the gas meter, resulting in an increase in the size of the device.
[0007]
Since the current required for driving the solenoid valve is much larger than the current required for the circuit control system including the microcomputer, the voltage drop of the power supply battery when the solenoid valve is driven causes the life of the device (expiration date of the gas meter). Was substantially determined. For this reason, it is an important issue how to use the power supply battery effectively and rationally.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, a gas shutoff control device of the present invention has a gas shutoff electromagnetic valve having a mechanism for self-holding an open state and a closed state by an electric pulse signal, and energizes a coil of the electromagnetic valve. Valve driving means for supplying a current to open and close the solenoid valve, a first battery serving as a power supply for the valve driving means, a voltage drop detecting means for monitoring the voltage of the first battery, and the valve driving means Control means for performing various controls including the control of, a second battery as a power source thereof, and an auxiliary closing means for supplying an exciting current for closing control from the second battery to the coil of the solenoid valve, When the voltage drop detecting means outputs a voltage drop signal for the first battery, the control means drives the auxiliary plugging means to put the gas shutoff solenoid valve in a closed state .
[0009]
According to the above invention, the first battery dedicated for driving the solenoid valve not only consumes a large current to open and close the solenoid valve, but also frequently operates the solenoid valve depending on the usage conditions of the gas meter. Although the degree of consumption of the battery is high, the second battery for the control circuit always consumes a constant and small amount of current, so that a sufficient battery capacity is secured over the validity period of the gas meter. When the first battery dedicated to driving the solenoid valve is exhausted, the auxiliary valve can be driven to close the solenoid valve with the second battery for the control circuit by driving the auxiliary closing means. There is no need to use up the first battery dedicated to driving the solenoid valve effectively.
[0010]
In the present invention, the battery voltage drop detecting means detects the voltage of the first battery when an exciting current flows to the opening side or the closing side of the gas shutoff electromagnetic valve, and the control means comprises a gas shutoff electromagnetic valve. Referring to whether the valve is on the open side or on the closed side, when the valve is on the open side, the exciting current on the open side is passed from the first battery to the coil of the solenoid valve, and the valve is on the closed side. At this time, when the excitation current on the plugging side is supplied from the first battery to the coil of the solenoid valve to control so as to detect the voltage of the first battery, a realistic voltage drop of the first battery is achieved. Can be monitored, so that the detection accuracy can be improved.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of the gas cutoff control device, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram.
[0013]
1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a gas shutoff solenoid valve which is built in the gas meter A and opens and closes a gas passage 13 for supplying gas to the gas equipment 12, and applies an electric pulse signal to the coil 1a. As a result, the open state and the closed state are self-held.
[0014]
Then, the solenoid valve 1 is controlled by valve driving means 2 constituted by a known transistor bridge circuit. The transistor 2a and the transistor 2b control the closing of the solenoid valve 1, and the transistor 2c and the transistor 2d control the opening of the solenoid valve 1. The exciting current shown by the arrow in the figure flows through the coil 1a of the solenoid valve 1. That is, the direction is io when the cap is opened, and ic when the cap is closed.
[0015]
Reference numeral 3 denotes a first battery serving as a power supply for the valve driving means 2, which is a valve driving-only battery formed of a lithium battery.
[0016]
Reference numeral 4 denotes a control means constituted by a microcomputer, which inputs information from the flow sensor 9, the pressure sensor 10, the seismic sensor 11, etc., constantly monitors a gas flow rate or an earthquake, and shuts off the gas passage 13 when an abnormality occurs. It has a function to control
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1, the valve opening / closing pulse signal from the control means 4 is supplied to the valve driving means 2 by sending the opening signal P1 to the PNP transistor 2c, the P2 signal to the NPN transistor 2d, and the closing signal C1 to the PNP transistor. The C2 signal is input to the transistor 2a and the NPN transistor 2b, respectively.
[0018]
Reference numeral 5 denotes a second battery constituting a power supply of the control means 4, which is a control circuit battery constituted by a lithium battery.
[0019]
Each of the batteries 3, 5 is designed to have a capacity value that guarantees the validity period of the gas meter.
[0020]
Reference numeral 6 denotes a voltage drop detecting means for monitoring the battery voltage of the first battery 3 dedicated to valve driving. The voltage drop detection means 6 is activated when the voltage detection permission signal BE is output from the control means 4, and if the battery voltage at that time is equal to or lower than the operation guarantee voltage of the solenoid valve 1, the voltage drop detection means 6 determines that the voltage has dropped and determines the voltage drop. The signal BL is sent to the control means 4.
[0021]
In the voltage drop detection, a current flows through the coil 1a of the solenoid valve 1, and it is determined whether or not the voltage level of the first battery 3 at that time is equal to or higher than the operating voltage of the solenoid valve 1. FIG. 4 shows the operation timing.
[0022]
In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents control signals. VB is the terminal voltage of the first battery 3, and VS is the operation guarantee lower limit voltage of the solenoid valve 1. When the voltage detection permission signal BE is output from the control means 4, the control means 4 refers to the output of the previously output valve opening / closing plug signal, and outputs the valve opening signal P1 / P2 if the valve is in the open state, or the valve open signal P1 / P2 if the valve is in the closed state. At the same time, the valve closing signals C1 / C2 are output, and an exciting current flows through the coil 1a of the solenoid valve 1. At time ta, the voltage when an actual load is applied to the battery 3 becomes VB> VS, but at time tb, VB <VS, and it is determined that the battery voltage VB is equal to or lower than the operation assurance voltage of the solenoid valve 1 and the voltage is determined. A lowering signal BL is sent to the opening / closing control means 4.
[0023]
Reference numeral 7 denotes auxiliary stopper means which operates when the voltage drop detection means 6 outputs the voltage drop signal BL. The PNP transistor 7a of the auxiliary closing means 7 is controlled by the auxiliary closing signal SC of the control means 4. The collector of the PNP transistor 7a of the auxiliary closing means 7 is connected to the collector of the PNP transistor 2a of the valve driving means 2, the emitter is connected to the second battery 5, and the arrow from the battery 5 to the coil 1a of the solenoid valve 1 It is provided so as to supply an exciting current of ic shown.
[0024]
Next, the operation and operation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0025]
FIG. 3 is an operation timing chart, in which the horizontal axis indicates time and the vertical axis indicates a control function. At time t1, the solenoid valve 1 is closed with the closing signal C1 / C2, and at time t2, the solenoid valve 1 is opened with the opening signal P1 / P2. That is, the control is performed by the first battery 3 dedicated to valve drive in any case where the normal operation is performed.
[0026]
At time t3, the voltage drop detecting means 6 detects the voltage drop of the first battery 3; the voltage drop signal BL indicates a state where the driving of the solenoid valve 1 is not at a level that can be guaranteed; The closing signal SC and the closing signal C2 are output. At this time, the auxiliary closing means 7 supplies the solenoid valve driving current from the second battery 5. Then, the solenoid valve 1 is closed.
[0027]
Although the description has been given with priority given to the voltage drop of the first battery 3 dedicated to valve drive, the second battery 5 for circuit control also has a voltage monitoring function. In this case, the control means 4 performs the normal closing control. Will be executed.
[0028]
The voltage drop signal BL may be configured to control the auxiliary plugging means 7 after a plurality of determinations as well as a single determination.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a two-power supply configuration including a first battery for opening and closing a gas shutoff solenoid valve and a second battery for control means is provided, and when a voltage drop of the first battery occurs, an emergency As a measure, auxiliary closing means for supplying a current for closing the solenoid valve from the second battery is provided, so that the first battery can be used to the limit and the battery can be used effectively.
[0030]
Further, the capacity of both batteries can be set in accordance with the load balance, so that cost performance can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a gas cutoff control device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the device.
FIG. 3 is a timing chart of the device.
FIG. 4 is a timing chart of a voltage drop detection unit of the device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Solenoid valve for gas shutoff 2 Valve drive means 3 First battery 4 Control means 5 Second battery 6 Voltage drop detection means 7 Auxiliary closure means

Claims (2)

A gas shutoff solenoid valve having a mechanism for self-holding the open state and the closed state with an electric pulse signal, valve driving means for supplying an exciting current to the coil of the solenoid valve to open and close the solenoid valve, A first battery serving as a power supply of the valve driving means, a voltage drop detecting means for monitoring a voltage of the first battery, control means for performing various controls including control of the valve driving means, and a power supply for the control means; A second battery, and auxiliary closing means for supplying an exciting current for closing control from the second battery to the coil of the solenoid valve, wherein the voltage drop detecting means outputs a voltage drop signal for the first battery. The gas shutoff control device is characterized in that the control means drives the auxiliary closing means to bring the gas shutoff solenoid valve into a closed state when the control is performed. The battery voltage drop detecting means is configured to detect the voltage of the first battery when an exciting current is supplied to the opening side or the closing side of the gas shutoff solenoid valve, and the control means is configured such that the gas shutoff solenoid valve is opened. With reference to whether the side is on the side or on the closing side, when on the opening side, the exciting current on the opening side is passed from the first battery to the coil of the solenoid valve, and when on the closing side, 2. The gas cutoff control device according to claim 1 , wherein an exciting current on the plugging side is supplied to the coil of the solenoid valve from the battery, and control is performed so as to detect the voltage of the first battery .

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