JP3832356B2 - Battery level determination device for storage battery - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrolytic solution level determination device for a storage battery that determines the suitability of the electrolytic solution level in the storage battery.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, the determination of the electrolytic solution level in the storage battery has been made by means of inserting a sensor having an electrode into the battery case to determine the electrolytic solution level, visually checking the reflected light on the battery wall surface, or using a light sensor. The suitability is judged.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the means for determining the electrolyte level by inserting a sensor having an electrode into the battery case, the structure is mechanically complicated, and it is necessary to temporarily stop the storage battery for inspection, so continuous inspection There are problems that are difficult. In addition, since the sensor having an electrode is in direct contact with the electrolytic solution, there is a problem that problems such as corrosion occur.
[0004]
On the other hand, in the means of detecting the electrolyte surface level in the storage battery by visual observation with the reflected light of the battery case wall surface or using an optical sensor, the accuracy becomes unstable due to the material, color difference, mark printing, etc. of the battery case. There is a problem that becomes difficult.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is a storage battery electrolyte that has a simple structure, does not directly contact the storage battery, can be continuously inspected in a short time without stopping the storage battery, and can also perform the determination of suitability stably and accurately. It is in providing a surface position determination apparatus.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for externally determining the electrolyte level in a storage battery having a translucent battery case.
[0007]
The battery level determination device for a storage battery according to the present invention defines a light source directed to one side of a battery case, a camera for taking an image of the other side facing the side, and a gray level of a required point in the image. And an image processing apparatus for determining whether or not the current level is at the level.
[0008]
Such a storage battery electrolyte level determination device is simple in structure, does not directly contact the storage battery, can be continuously inspected in a short time without stopping the storage battery, and also performs the determination of suitability stably and accurately. be able to.
[0009]
Further, the storage battery electrolyte level determination device according to the present invention includes a light source directed to one side surface of a battery case, a camera for taking an image of the other side surface facing the side surface, and a gray level of a required point in the image. Is provided with an image processing apparatus for determining whether or not the battery is at a specified level, and a conveyor for passing the storage battery between the light source and the camera.
[0010]
In addition to the above-described effects, such a storage battery electrolyte level determination device can efficiently and continuously determine the electrolyte level while feeding the storage battery by a conveyor.
[0011]
In this case, the light from the light source is preferably yellow / dark blue visible light or infrared light. In this way, the light from the light source becomes light having a strong transmission power, and the suitability of the electrolyte surface can be determined stably and accurately, and the erroneous determination rate of the liquid surface determination device can be reduced.
[0012]
Further, it is preferable that the required point is a level at which the electrolyte surface level is close to the prescribed maximum level. In this way, the determination accuracy can be increased.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, each example of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0014]
[Embodiment 1]
In the storage battery electrolyte level determination device of this example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage battery 1 is transported by a conveyor 2, and the conveyor 2 has a fixed system on one side in the width direction. Are provided with guides 3A and 3B for guiding the storage battery 1. On one guide 3 </ b> A, a light source 5 is installed via a support 4 so that one side surface of a semitransparent battery case 6 of the storage battery 1 is irradiated with light. A camera 7 that captures an image of the other side surface of the battery case 6 is supported via a support body 8 on the other side surface guide 3B facing the side surface of the battery case 6 that is irradiated with light. An image processing device 9 is connected to the camera 7 via a code 10 for determining whether the gray level of a required point in the image taken by the camera 7 is at a specified level.
[0015]
In such a storage battery electrolyte level determination device, the light emitted from the light source 5 is transmitted from one side of the semi-transparent battery case 6 of the storage battery 1 to the opposite side, so that the camera 7 is located on the opposite side of the battery case 6. The battery case 6 is photographed, and it is determined by the image processing device 9 whether or not the gray level of the required point of the image photographed by the camera 7 is at a prescribed level.
[0016]
Such a storage battery electrolyte level determination device has a simple structure, does not directly contact the storage battery 1, can be continuously inspected in a short time without stopping the storage battery 1, and the suitability determination is stable and accurate. Can be done well. Furthermore, if it determines, sending the storage battery 1 with the conveyor 2, an electrolyte solution level can be determined efficiently efficiently.
[0017]
The misjudgment rate of this liquid level judging device was about 13% of the whole. It took about 4 seconds to inspect one storage battery 1.
[0018]
[Embodiment 2]
In the configuration shown in Embodiment 1, a light source 5 that emits yellow / dark blue visible light or infrared light is used.
[0019]
Such yellow / dark blue visible light or infrared light becomes a light having a strong transmission power to the battery case 6, and can determine the suitability of the electrolytic solution surface more stably and accurately. With this storage battery electrolyte level determination device, the erroneous determination rate was 1% or less of the total.
[0020]
[Embodiment 3]
In the configuration shown in the first embodiment, the required point at which the image processing device 9 makes a determination based on the image taken by the camera 7 is set to a level at which the electrolyte solution level is near the prescribed maximum level.
[0021]
In this way, the determination accuracy can be increased.
[0022]
[Comparative Example 1]
The determination was made with a device using a conventional optical sensor. The misjudgment rate by this apparatus was about 24%.
[0023]
FIG. 3 shows a comparison result of the erroneous determination rates by the above-described Embodiments 1 and 2 and the electrolyte level determination device of Comparative Example 1.
[0024]
From FIG. 3, it can be seen that the error determination rate of the device of the first embodiment is lower than that of the device of the comparative example 1, and that the error determination rate of the device of the second embodiment is much lower than that of the device of the first embodiment. It was revealed.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
The battery level determination device for a storage battery according to the present invention defines a light source directed to one side surface of a battery case, a camera for taking an image of the other side surface facing the side surface, and a shading level of a required point in the image. The image processing device for determining whether or not it is at a certain level, the structure is simple, it can be inspected continuously in a short time without stopping the storage battery without directly contacting the storage battery, and the suitability can also be determined It can be performed stably and accurately.
[0026]
Further, the storage battery electrolyte level determination device according to the present invention includes a light source directed to one side surface of a battery case, a camera for taking an image of the other side surface facing the side surface, and a gray level of a required point in the image. In addition to the effects described above, the image processing apparatus that determines whether the battery is at a specified level and the conveyor that passes the storage battery between the light source and the camera are continuously fed while the storage battery is being sent by the conveyor. The electrolyte solution level can be determined efficiently.
[0027]
In this case, when using yellow or amber-based visible light or infrared light as the light of the light source, it becomes a light having a strong transmission power, and can determine whether the electrolyte surface is appropriate or more stable and accurate. The misjudgment rate of the liquid level judgment device can be lowered.
[0028]
Further, if the required point is a level at which the electrolyte surface level is near the prescribed maximum level, the determination accuracy can be increased.
[Brief description of the drawings]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of an electrolytic solution level determination device for a storage battery according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electrolyte battery level determination device of the storage battery shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a comparison diagram of misjudgment rates of devices of Embodiments 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage battery 2 Conveyor 3A, 3B Guide 4 Support body 5 Light source 6 Battery case 7 Camera 8 Support body 9 Image processing apparatus 10 Code

Claims (4)

An apparatus for judging the electrolyte surface level in a storage battery having a translucent battery case from the outside,
A light source directed to one side surface of the battery case, a camera that takes an image of the other side surface facing the side surface, and an image processing device that determines whether a gray level of a required point in the image is at a specified level An electrolytic solution level determination device for a storage battery. An apparatus for judging the electrolyte surface level in a storage battery having a translucent battery case from the outside,
A light source directed to one side surface of the battery case, a camera that takes an image of the other side surface facing the side surface, and an image processing device that determines whether a gray level of a required point in the image is at a specified level And an electrolytic solution level determination device for a storage battery, comprising a conveyor for passing the storage battery between the light source and the camera. The storage battery electrolyte level determination device according to claim 1, wherein the light of the light source is yellow / dark blue visible light or infrared light. 4. The storage battery electrolyte level determination device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the required point is a level at which the electrolyte level is near a prescribed maximum level.

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