JP3702521B2 - Power usage restriction device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a power usage restriction device that controls so that a new device cannot be used when the power usage is likely to exceed a rating.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A distribution board in general households is equipped with a 20A or 30A breaker for each system. For example, if the operating current increases due to electrical leakage, etc., the circuit will be automatically disconnected and a fire may occur. Be careful not to have any. The electrical wiring of each system has a large number of outlets arranged in each room, and plugs of various devices are inserted into these outlets for use.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Most home appliances have a maximum operating current of around 10A. If you connect multiple devices to the same system outlet and use them simultaneously, the total current usage will exceed the breaker rating and the breaker will drop. May end up. In particular, many recent devices use a microcomputer. For example, in the case of a rice cooker, once the breaker falls, the next time the breaker enters and returns, the rice cooker repeats the operation from the initial state. The cooked rice at the time of going up is not normal. In order to avoid such a situation, when using household appliances with high current consumption, it is only necessary to use a separate outlet, but in reality the outlets provided in one room are the same system. Has become. As mentioned above, electrical wiring in general households has the possibility of breaking the breaker when multiple devices are used at the same time, and in the conventional configuration, there is no means to prevent this on the device side It is.
[0004]
The present invention solves the problems of such a conventional configuration, and uses electric power to control the use of a new device when the current used by the device is likely to exceed a predetermined current value. It aims to provide a limiting device.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The first means of the present invention for achieving the above object is that the second adapter newly connected to the outlet after the first adapter attached to the distribution board of the commercial power source is determined to exceed the maximum current of the circuit. It transmits a signal, in which the second adapter that is newly connected is a brownout apparatus for controlling so as not to energize the device connected to the second adapter that is newly connected to receive the signal .
[0006]
The second means of the present invention is a power usage restriction device that can stop energization to the device manually by operating a power switch provided on the second adapter.
[0007]
According to the third means of the present invention, when the newly connected second adapter receives a signal transmitted by the first adapter, the notification means is operated to notify the user that the maximum current is exceeded. It is a limiting device.
[0008]
According to a fourth means of the present invention, the second adapter is a power usage limiting device that notifies that the operation of the device is dangerous by a signal of a human body sensor when a person approaches to operate the device.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the present embodiment. Electrical wiring to a general household is branched from the pole transformer 1 and enters the distribution board 2. The distribution board 2 is wired to outlets 5, 6, and 7 provided on the wall surface of each room through a breaker 3 provided for each wiring system. Outlets 5, 6 and 7 are outlets of the same system as breaker 3. The rated current of the breaker 3 is 20-30A. In the present embodiment, the first adapter 4 is attached to the distribution plate 2 for each wiring system. The devices 14, 15, 16 connected to the outlets 5, 6, 7 are provided with second adapters 11, 12, 13 provided on the plugs 8, 9, 10 respectively. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the first adapter 4 and the second adapter 13. The configuration of the second adapters 11 and 12 is the same as that of the second adapter 13. The first adapter 4 includes a current detection unit 4a configured by a current transformer or the like that detects a current flowing in the circuit, and a transmission unit 4b that transmits a signal when the current detected by the current detection unit 4a is likely to exceed a predetermined value. It has. The second adapter 13 includes a receiving unit 13a that receives the signal transmitted by the transmitting unit 4b, and a control unit 13b that receives the signal from the receiving unit 13a and controls the energization control unit 13c configured by a relay triac or the like. ing.
[0010]
The operation of this embodiment will be described below. Some devices, such as irons and vacuum cleaners, are plugged into an outlet when used, and unplugged from the outlet when finished using, while others are used with the plug inserted into the outlet, such as refrigerators and TV hot carpets. . The second adapter used in the present embodiment is mainly applied to an adapter that is used by inserting and removing a plug represented by an iron or a vacuum cleaner from an outlet.
[0011]
Now, it is assumed that the devices 14 and 15 are inserted into the outlets 5 and 6 through the plugs 8 and 9 and the second adapters 11 and 12 and used. In this state, the current detection unit 4a of the first adapter 4 detects that the current flowing through the circuit is, for example, 15A. The transmission unit 4b has a determination function, and the current consumption of 15A is a limit for the breaker 3, and further determines that a new device 16 cannot be connected, and generates a signal. The form of this signal may be, for example, a wired signal using a power line or a wireless signal. In this state, it is assumed that the user connects the device 16 to the outlet 7 through the plug 10 and the second adapter 13. At this time, the second adapter 13 included in the plug 10 receives the signal generated by the first adapter 4. That is, the receiving unit 13a receives this signal, and the control unit 13b discriminates this signal and drives the energization control means 13c. Accordingly, the device 16 is not energized even when connected to the outlet 7.
[0012]
Further, when the connected device 14 is a jar pot, for example, the water temperature rises as time elapses, and when it reaches boiling, only a small current for heat retention is consumed. In this state, it is assumed that the current detected by the current detector 4a of the first adapter 4 is also reduced, and the detected current is, for example, 12A. Upon receiving the signal from the current detection unit 4a, the transmission unit 4b stops signal transmission on the assumption that 12A is at a level at which the device 16 can be energized. For this reason, at this time, the receiving unit 13a of the second adapter 13 does not receive a signal. Therefore, the control unit 13b stops driving the energization control means 13c, and the device 16 that remains connected to the outlet 7 is energized.
[0013]
As described above, the present embodiment transmits a signal when the first adapter 4 attached to the distribution board 2 of the commercial power supply for each wiring system is likely to exceed the maximum current of the circuit, and the devices 14, 15, 16 The second adapter 11, 12, 13 attached to the plugs 8, 9, 10 of this machine receives this signal and controls the energization of the devices 14, 15, 16, so that the breaker 3 does not drop. This is a limiting device.
[0014]
At this time, when the second adapter 13 is configured as shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to realize a power usage restriction device that can manually operate the device 16. That is, 13d is a power switch connected in series to the outlet 7, and can be manually turned on / off. When the power switch 13d is turned off by manual operation, the device 13 is not energized even if the device 13 is connected to the outlet 7. When the power switch 13d is turned on, the power supply to the device 16 can be controlled under the control of the control unit 13b.
[0015]
That is, the configuration shown in FIG. 3 can be applied to a device such as a hot carpet that is used with a plug connected to an outlet, that is, a device that does not have any problem even if the power is turned off during use.
[0016]
Further, when the second adapter 13 is configured as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to realize a power usage restriction device that can notify the user that the new connection of the device 16 is dangerous. 13e is a notification means constituted by, for example, a buzzer, and is driven by an instruction from the control unit 13b as in the energization control means 13c. Therefore, when the receiving unit 13a receives a signal from the first adapter 4, the control unit 13b drives the energization control unit 13c to stop energization of the device 16, and simultaneously drives the notification unit 13e to inform the user. This is a notification that the device 16 cannot be energized at the present time.
[0017]
At this time, if the second adapter 13 is configured as shown in FIG. 5, when a person approaches, the power use restriction device can notify that it is dangerous to energize the device 16 at this time. it can. That is, 13f is a human body sensor constituted by an infrared sensor or the like, and transmits this information to the control unit 13b when a person approaches. When the control unit 13b receives a signal from the first adapter 4, the control unit 13b drives the energization control unit 13c to stop energization of the device 16. In this state, for example, when a person approaches to operate the device 16, the notification means 13 e is driven to notify that it is dangerous to energize the device 16 at this time.
[0018]
That is, the second adapter 13 having the configuration shown in FIG. 5 is effective when applied to a device that does not operate unless a person presses the operation switch while the plug is connected to an outlet, such as a microwave oven. Is.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
First means of the present invention, connected to a first adapter attached to the power distribution board of the commercial power supply, a second adapter that attach the plug of the device, said first adapter and said second adapter and a power outlet for the first adapter, newly said outlet after a current detector for detecting a current flowing through the power line, the current which the current detection unit has detected is judged to likely exceed the maximum allowable current value and a transmission unit for transmitting a signal to the second adapter that is connected to a second adapter which is newly connected receives a signal which the transmission unit transmits the first newly connected by the received signal A power usage restriction device is characterized in that control is performed so as not to energize a device connected to a second adapter .
[0020]
The second means of the present invention realizes a power usage restriction device capable of controlling a newly connected device even manually, particularly as a configuration in which a power switch operated by a user is provided on the second adapter. .
[0021]
The third means of the present invention, as structure in which a notification means to a second adapter which is newly connected, the power supply to the devices connected with the newly said second adapter connected dangerous Is realized.
[0022]
The fourth means of the present invention is a power usage limiting device capable of notifying that energization of the device is dangerous when a person approaches as a configuration in which a human body sensor for detecting the approach of the person is provided on the second adapter. Is realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a power usage restriction device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first adapter and a second adapter. FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration in which a second adapter is provided with a notification means. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration in which a second adapter is provided with a human body sensor. Block diagram showing the configuration [Explanation of symbols]
4 1st adapter 4a Current detection part 4b Transmission part 11 Second adapter 12 Second adapter 13 Second adapter 13a Reception part 13b Control part 13c Power supply control means 13d Power switch 13e Notification means 13f Human body sensor

Claims (4)

Comprises a first adapter attached to the power distribution board of the commercial power supply, a second adapter that attach the plug of the device, and outlets for connecting the said first adapter the second adapter, the first adapters, signal a current detector for detecting a current flowing through the power line, the second adapter that is connected to new the outlet after the current the current detection unit has detected is judged to likely exceed the maximum allowable current value And a transmission unit for transmitting
Second adapter newly connected, and wherein the transmitting unit receives the transmitted signal is controlled so as not to energize the new device connected to the second adapter that is connected by the received signal Electric power usage restriction device.   The power usage restriction device according to claim 1, wherein the second adapter has a power switch operated by a user, and the power supply to the device can be stopped also by the user's operation. Second adapter newly connected has a notification means, the newly connected said second adapter and power supply to the equipment connected to notify that a dangerous claim 1 brownout device according .   The second adapter has a human body sensor that detects the approach of a person. When a signal from the first adapter is received, the power supply to the second device is stopped, and a signal from the first adapter is received. 4. The power use restriction device according to claim 3, wherein the notification means is operated when a signal from the human body sensor is received while the user is in the vehicle.

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