JP3736108B2 - Signal detection device with scintillation fiber - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a signal detection device provided with a scintillation fiber used for equipment using water or steam such as a washing machine, a rice cooker, or a jar pot.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Many signal detection circuits are used in the equipment, and start of energization, stop of energization, transmission of control signals, and the like are executed. In such a signal detection circuit, for example, the contact often rusts, resulting in malfunction. In particular, in a device using water or steam such as a washing machine, a rice cooker, or a jar pot, the malfunction due to the rust of the contact is a serious problem.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, a signal detection circuit used in a device using water or steam such as a washing machine, a rice cooker, or a jar pot has a problem that operation failure occurs due to rust of the contact.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention uses a signal detection device equipped with a scintillation fiber, so that it is not necessary to use any mechanical contact, and therefore is a signal detection device equipped with a scintillation fiber that is not affected by water or water vapor. Yes.
[0005]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the first aspect of the present invention, the scintillation fiber is divided into a first portion and a second portion, and a plate-like third scintillation fiber connected so as to contact the short surface therebetween is arranged. The third scintillation fiber can be reliably operated with a finger, and the signal detection device includes a scintillation fiber capable of highly sensitive detection.
[0006]
The invention described in claim 2 can increase the amount of change in the signal detected by the received light amount change detecting means by covering the second light emitting element disposed so as to face the third scintillation fiber with a finger. When used as a switch, the signal detection device includes a scintillation fiber capable of highly sensitive detection.
[0007]
【Example】
( Reference Example 1)
The first reference example of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this reference example. Reference numeral 2 denotes a cable using a scintillation fiber for transmitting an optical signal (hereinafter simply referred to as a scintillation fiber), and the length can be freely set. For example, when it is used for a large product such as a washing machine, it can be set to several meters. The scintillation fiber 2 has a configuration shown in FIG. That is, the periphery of the core 4 is covered with the clad material 3. The core 4 contains a phosphor 5. The phosphor 5 reacts only with light having a specific wavelength in the incident light a, that is, light with an excitation wavelength, and emits fluorescence with a specific wavelength when receiving light with the excitation wavelength. Although this fluorescence is scattered in the core 4, a part of the scattered light propagates in the core 4 while being totally reflected by the cladding 3. Since this light is totally reflected by the clad material 3 as described above, it does not leak out from the side surface 2a of the scintillation fiber 2 to the outside 2, but goes out only from the end surface 2b.
[0008]
In this reference example, the scintillation fiber 2 having the above-described configuration is used as a switch element. A light emitting element 1 is disposed on one end face of the scintillation fiber 2 and a light receiving element 6 is disposed on the other end. The light reception signal of the light receiving element 6 is transmitted to the determination unit 8 via the light reception amount change detecting means 7 that detects a change in the amount of received light. The determination unit 8 is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer, and determines that the switch is turned on when the detection signal of the received light amount change detection means 7 exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
[0009]
The operation of this reference example will be described below. The signal received by the light receiving element 6 is the sum of the amount of light emitted from the light emitting element 1 and the light corresponding to the specific wavelength of the external light incident from the side surface 2a of the scintillation fiber 2. Now, when there is nothing that covers the side surface 2a, the incidence of external light is free. If the light-receiving sensitivity of the light-receiving element 6 is constant, the signal generated by the light-receiving element 6 can be used to distinguish between daytime and nighttime, existing between winter and summer, and the environment where the equipment is installed. It changes in time series with a pattern that is almost determined. That is, a signal that increases in time series with respect to the amount of light emitted by the light emitting element 1 is generated. Accordingly, the signal generated by the received light amount change detecting means 7 also follows a pattern that is substantially determined by the external environment.
[0010]
At this time, if the side surface 2a of the scintillation fiber 2 is covered with, for example, a part of the human body, that is, if the user touches the side surface 2a of the scintillation fiber 2 with a finger, the incident state of external light is at this moment. It will change. That is, since the external light is temporarily shielded by the finger, the signal pattern detected by the received light amount change detection means 7 deviates from the normal state. The determination unit 8 determines that the switch is turned on when the amount of signal change exceeds a predetermined threshold. That is, a circuit not shown is driven.
[0011]
As described above, according to this reference example, by using the scintillation fiber 2 whose length can be freely set as a switching element, the signal detection device including the scintillation fiber that is not affected by water or water vapor is provided. It can be realized.
[0012]
( Reference Example 2)
Next, a second reference example of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this reference example. In this reference example, the light emission amount adjusting means 10 is connected to the light emitting element 1. As the light emission amount adjusting means 10, for example, a voltage adjusting means for adjusting a voltage applied to the light emitting element 1 is used.
[0013]
With the above configuration, for example, when there is a large amount of external light such as in summer or daytime, the light emission amount of the light-emitting element 1 can be adjusted to be increased, and the influence of changes in external light can be reduced. That is, according to the present reference example, the detection level detected by the received light amount change detection means 7 can be adjusted, and a signal detection device including a scintillation fiber capable of highly sensitive detection can be realized.
[0014]
( Reference Example 3)
Next, a third reference example of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this reference example. In this reference example, the surface of the scintillation fiber 2 is covered with the shielding means 11 and the shielding means 12 except for the signal input unit 13. As the shielding means 11 and the shielding means 12, for example, a paint that does not transmit light, a colored tape that performs the same function, or the like can be used.
[0015]
The operation of this reference example will be described below. As described in Reference Example 1, external light can freely enter from the side surface of the scintillation fiber. In this reference example, the shielding means 11 and the shielding means 12 are used to prevent the outside light from entering from other than the signal input unit 12. For this reason, the signal is input only from the signal input unit 13. Therefore, by covering the signal input unit 13 with a finger, the received light amount change detecting means 7 can detect a change in securely received light amount, thus determining unit 8 that has become what can be accurately determined.
[0016]
As described above, according to this reference example, it is possible to realize a signal detection apparatus including a scintillation fiber that can perform accurate detection without malfunction due to external light.
[0017]
(Example 1 )
Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the end surfaces of the cylindrical first scintillation fiber 20 and the cylindrical second scintillation fiber 21 are connected by a third scintillation fiber 22 having a flat plate shape. . The light emitting element 1, the light receiving element 6, the received light amount change detecting means 7, and the determination unit 8 are the same as those in the first embodiment.
[0018]
The operation of this embodiment will be described below. As described above, in this embodiment, the end faces of the first scintillation fiber 20 and the second scintillation fiber 21 are connected by the third scintillation fiber 22 having a flat plate shape. For this reason, the light received by the light receiving element 6 includes light emitted from the light emitting element 1, external light incident from the side surface of the first scintillation fiber 20, and external light incident from the side surface of the second scintillation fiber 21. This corresponds to the sum of light and external light incident from the side surface of the third scintillation fiber 22. Among these, since the 3rd scintillation fiber 22 is made into flat form, when it touches with a finger, most will be reliably covered with a finger. That is, since the third scintillation fiber 22 is provided, the received light amount change detecting means 7 can reliably detect the change in the received light amount, and therefore the determination unit 8 can reliably detect the user's operation. It is possible.
[0019]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the first scintillation fiber 20 and the second scintillation fiber 21 are connected by the flat plate-like third scintillation fiber, the scintillation capable of highly sensitive detection is possible. A signal detection device including a fiber is realized.
[0020]
(Example 2 )
Next will be described a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this embodiment. In the present embodiment, the second light emitting element 25 is provided so as to face the third scintillation fiber 22 described in the first embodiment.
[0021]
The operation of this embodiment will be described below. When the user covers the second light emitting element 25, the amount of light received by the third scintillation fiber 22 provided so as to face the second light emitting element 25 is greatly reduced. For this reason, the received light amount detected by the received light amount change detecting means 7 is also reduced, and therefore the determination unit 8 can reliably detect the operation of the user.
[0022]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the second light emitting element 25 is provided so as to face the third scintillation fiber 22, the change amount of the signal detected by the received light amount change detecting means 7 is changed. A signal detection device including a scintillation fiber that can be enlarged and can be detected with high sensitivity, particularly when used as a switch.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
The invention described in claim 1 is a first scintillation fiber constituted by a core filled with a phosphor and a clad material, a second scintillation fiber constituted by a core filled with a phosphor and a clad material, A plate-like third scintillation fiber connected to the respective end faces of the first and second scintillation fibers, a light emitting element attached to the end face of the first scintillation fiber, and an end face of the second scintillation fiber As a configuration comprising a scintillation fiber comprising an attached light receiving element, a received light amount change detecting means for detecting a change in the received light amount connected to the light receiving element, and a determination unit connected to the received light amount change detecting means, Secure scintillation fiber with your finger Operation can, realizes the signal detecting apparatus having a scintillating fiber capable sensitive detection.
[0024]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first scintillation fiber composed of a phosphor-filled core and a clad material, a second scintillation fiber composed of a phosphor-filled core and a clad material, A plate-like third scintillation fiber connected to the respective end faces of the first scintillation fiber and the second scintillation fiber, a light emitting element attached to the end face of the first scintillation fiber, and the third scintillation fiber A second light emitting element provided in this way, a light receiving element attached to the end face of the second scintillation fiber, a received light amount change detecting means for detecting a change in the received light amount connected to the light receiving element, and a received light amount change detecting means The second light emission as a configuration comprising a determination unit connected to A signal detection device with a scintillation fiber that can detect a change in the amount of light detected by the means for detecting the change in the amount of light received by covering the child with a finger, and that can be detected with high sensitivity, especially when used as a switch. It is.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a signal detection apparatus having a scintillation fiber as a first reference example of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration and operation of the scintillation fiber. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a signal detection apparatus including a scintillation fiber according to a second reference example of the invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a signal detection apparatus including a scintillation fiber according to a third reference example of the present invention. Figure 5 shows the first embodiment block diagram showing a configuration of a signal detecting apparatus having a scintillation fiber is an example [6] a second signal detection with a scintillation fiber is an embodiment of the present invention of the present invention Block diagram showing device configuration 【Explanation of symbols】
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light emitting element 2 Scintillation fiber 3 Clad material 4 Core 5 Phosphor 6 Light receiving element 7 Light reception amount change detection means 8 Judgment part 10 Light emission amount adjustment means 11 Shielding means 12 Shielding means 20 First scintillation fiber 21 Second scintillation fiber 22 3rd scintillation fiber 25 2nd light emitting element

Claims (2)

  A first scintillation fiber composed of a phosphor-filled core and a clad material; a second scintillation fiber composed of a phosphor-filled core and a clad material; the first scintillation fiber and a second scintillation fiber; A plate-like third scintillation fiber connected to each end face of the scintillation fiber, a light emitting element attached to the end face of the first scintillation fiber, a light receiving element attached to the end face of the second scintillation fiber, and the light receiving element A signal detection device comprising a scintillation fiber comprising a received light amount change detecting means for detecting a change in the received light amount connected to the light receiving unit and a determination unit connected to the received light amount change detecting means.   A first scintillation fiber composed of a phosphor-filled core and a clad material; a second scintillation fiber composed of a phosphor-filled core and a clad material; the first scintillation fiber and a second scintillation fiber; A plate-like third scintillation fiber connected to each end face of the scintillation fiber, a light emitting element attached to the end face of the first scintillation fiber, and a second light emitting element provided so as to face the third scintillation fiber A scintillation comprising: a light receiving element attached to the end face of the second scintillation fiber; a light receiving amount change detecting means for detecting a change in the amount of received light connected to the light receiving element; and a determination unit connected to the light receiving amount change detecting means. Signal detection device with fiber.

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