JP5441226B2 - Flowmeter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a flow meter that operates with the power of a power supply means.

  As this type of conventional flow meter, a battery-driven electromagnetic flow meter is known (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1). For example, as shown in FIG. 19, the flow meter 1 has a battery 4 built in a main body case 2 together with electronic components such as a measurement circuit 3.

Yutaka Matsuyama, “Practical flow rate measurement”, 1st edition, Energy Conservation Center, June 15, 1999, p. 49

  However, among the conventional flowmeters described above, in the case where the battery 4 is packaged in the main body case 2 so that it cannot be taken out, it is necessary to replace the entire flowmeter 1 when the battery life is reached, and the replacement work is complicated. With the interruption of fluid supply. On the other hand, in the case where the battery 4 can be removed from the main body case 2, moisture may enter the main body case 2 when replacing the battery, which may cause a failure of the measuring circuit 3.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a flow meter capable of easily replacing power supply means and preventing moisture from entering into a main body case containing a measurement circuit. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, a flow meter according to the invention of claim 1 includes a measurement circuit pack in which a measurement circuit for measuring a flow rate is packaged in a waterproof state in a main body case, and a power supply means covering the power supply means. It is packaged in a waterproof state with members, and is provided in each of the external power supply pack that is detachably attached to the measurement circuit pack, the measurement circuit pack, and the external power supply pack, and is sealed by fitting each other. It is characterized in that a waterproof space is formed, and a pair of waterproof connectors are provided to connect the power supply means and the measurement circuit in the waterproof space.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the flowmeter of the first aspect, a power receiving side connector as a waterproof connector provided integrally with the main body case, and a power supply side connector as a waterproof connector provided integrally with the power covering member. And features.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the flowmeter according to the second aspect, a power pack main body portion provided in an external power supply pack and including power supply means addressed to a side surface of the measurement circuit pack, and a power pack main body portion A side projecting portion that projects laterally and is disposed opposite to one end surface of the measurement circuit pack, a power receiving side connector disposed on one end surface of the measurement circuit pack, and one end surface of the measurement circuit pack in the side projecting portion. It is characterized in that it is provided with a power supply side connector disposed on the surface.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the flowmeter according to the third aspect, a screw insertion hole that penetrates the side projecting portion in a direction opposite to the one end surface of the measurement circuit pack, and an end surface of the measurement circuit pack in the screw insertion hole; It is characterized in that a screw member inserted from the opposite side and a female screw portion formed in the measurement circuit pack and screwed with the screw member are provided.

  The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, in the flowmeter according to claim 4, the screw member is a tamper-proof bolt having a deformed recess into which a tip of a special driver can be fitted.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the flowmeter according to any one of the third to fifth aspects, a substantially cylindrical measurement circuit pack and a plurality of batteries as power supply means are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack. It has a feature in that it is provided with a power pack main body portion that is arranged along a circular arc and built in.

  A seventh aspect of the present invention is the flowmeter according to any one of the third to sixth aspects, wherein the flowmeter is pivotally attached to one end surface of the measurement circuit pack, and the power supply side connector and the power reception side connector are completely connected. It has a feature in that it has a swivel plate that can be engaged with the external power supply pack only in the fitted state, but cannot be engaged with the external power supply pack in the half-fitted state between the power supply side connector and the power receiving side connector. .

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the flowmeter according to any one of the third to seventh aspects, a plurality of batteries as power supply means are incorporated, and the main body of the power pack and the side projecting portion are integrated. It is characterized in that it is provided with a molded resin molded body as a power supply covering member and a mold reinforcing member embedded in the molded resin molded body over the power pack main body portion and the side projecting portion.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the flowmeter according to any one of the third to eighth aspects, the power receiving side connector and the power feeding side connector are provided on the side surface of the measurement circuit pack and the side surface of the power pack main body. It is characterized in that a slide engagement portion is provided which slides and engages with each other in the fitting direction.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the flowmeter according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, an excessive current flows from the positive electrode to the negative electrode of the battery as a power supply means provided in the external power supply pack. This is characterized in that a power supply protection circuit for preventing the above is provided.

  The invention of claim 11 is characterized in that in the flow meter according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the flow meter is a water meter.

[Invention of Claim 1]
According to the flow meter of claim 1, since the external power supply pack is detachably attached to the measurement circuit pack, it is possible to replace only the external power supply pack while the flowmeter is connected to the pipe. And the fluid supply is not interrupted. In addition, since the measurement circuit pack and the external power supply pack have a waterproof structure, it is possible to prevent moisture from entering due to replacement, and to prevent failure of the measurement circuit and the power supply means. Further, since a pair of waterproof connectors provided on the measurement circuit pack and the external power supply pack are fitted to each other to form a sealed waterproof space, the space between the power supply means and the measurement circuit due to moisture intrusion is formed. It is possible to prevent poor conduction.

[Invention of claim 2]
The flowmeter of the present invention may have a configuration in which a waterproof connector is provided at the tip of a cable extending from one or both of the measurement circuit pack and the external power supply pack. The power receiving side connector may be provided integrally with the main body case, and the power feeding side connector as a waterproof connector may be provided integrally with the power supply cover member. According to invention of Claim 2, the cutting | disconnection between the power receiving side connector and measurement circuit by a blade, and the cutting | disconnection between a power feeding side connector and a battery can be prevented.

[Inventions of Claims 3 and 9]
According to the invention of claim 3, the external power pack is slid with the side surface of the main body of the power pack along the side surface of the measurement circuit pack while the side overhanging portion is arranged opposite to and close to the one end surface of the measurement circuit pack. When moved, the power feeding side connector and the power receiving side connector are fitted together with the sliding movement, so that the connector can be easily fitted. According to the ninth aspect of the invention, since the sliding movement of the external power supply pack is guided by the slide engaging portion, the connector fitting operation and the fitting releasing operation can be performed smoothly.

[Invention of claim 4]
According to the invention of claim 4, the external power supply pack can be reliably fixed to the measurement circuit pack by screwing the screw member and the female screw portion.

[Invention of claim 5]
According to the invention of claim 5, since the screw member is a tamper-proof bolt, it is possible to prevent unauthorized release of engagement between the power supply side connector and the power reception side connector.

[Invention of claim 6]
As in the sixth aspect of the invention, when a plurality of batteries are arranged along the arc of the outer peripheral surface of the substantially cylindrical measurement circuit pack, the flow meter is made compact compared to the case where such an arrangement is not used. be able to.

[Invention of Claim 7]
According to the invention of claim 7, when the power supply side connector and the power receiving side connector are in a half-fitted state, the swivel plate cannot be engaged with the external power supply pack. The worker can be made aware.

[Invention of Claim 8]
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, the battery can be packaged in a waterproof state by incorporating the battery in the molded resin molded body. In addition, the molded resin molded body is integrally provided with a power pack main body portion and a side overhang portion, and a mold reinforcing member is embedded between the power pack main body portion and the side overhang portion. It is possible to prevent the mold resin molded body from being bent.

[Invention of Claim 10]
According to the invention of claim 10, it is possible to prevent an excessive current from flowing from the positive electrode to the negative electrode of the battery to overheat, damage, or wear out.

[Invention of Claim 11]
According to the invention of claim 11, the water meter is usually installed in an outdoor meter box, but the power supply means can be easily replaced even in a relatively narrow meter box. Moreover, although moisture tends to increase in the meter box, it is possible to prevent failure of the measurement circuit and power supply means due to the intrusion of moisture and poor conduction between the power supply means and the measurement circuit. In addition, it is possible to avoid a disconnection of tap water, and there is no inconvenience to water users.

The perspective view of the flowmeter which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. Perspective view of flow meter with display lid open Side view of flow meter Top view of flow meter AA line sectional view in FIG. Side sectional view of the connector mating part in the half mated state Side sectional view showing the position of the corner wall and swivel plate in the fully fitted state Side sectional view showing the position of the corner wall in the half-fitted state Perspective view of flow meter body Side view of the measurement path pack and external power pack separated Top view of measurement circuit pack Perspective view of external power supply pack viewed from diagonally above Perspective view of external power supply pack viewed from diagonally below Front view of external power pack Top view of external power pack BB sectional view in FIG. Side view of battery, mold reinforcement member, etc. embedded in molded resin molding Plan view of mold reinforcement member and battery fitting lid Cross section of conventional flow meter

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows the entire flow meter 10 of the present invention. The flow meter 10 includes a flow meter main body 11 and an external power supply pack 50. First, the flow meter main body 11 will be described.

  The flow meter main body 11 includes a detector 12 and a measurement circuit pack 13. The detector 12 has a structure in which the measurement path 20 penetrates the center of the cylindrical body. As shown in FIG. 3, the detector 12 is connected in the middle of a pipe 100 (for example, a water pipe) through which the fluid flows, so that the fluid passes through the measurement path 20. Although not shown, in the inside of the cylindrical body in the detector 12, an electromagnetic coil that generates a magnetic field that crosses the measurement path 20, and a detection electrode that detects a potential difference generated when a fluid passes through the magnetic field, Is built-in.

  The measurement circuit pack 13 has a structure in which a measurement circuit 31 for measuring a flow rate and a flow rate display unit 32 (for example, a liquid crystal panel) for displaying a measurement result are packaged in a waterproof state in a main body case 30 (see FIG. 5). The main body case 30 has a substantially columnar shape, and is provided integrally at the tip of the column 14 (see FIG. 3) that protrudes laterally from the outer peripheral surface of the detector 12.

  Hereinafter, in this document, for convenience, the measurement circuit pack 13 side of the flow meter 10 will be described as “upper side” and the detector 12 side will be described as “lower side”. However, the flow meter 10 does not necessarily detect the measurement circuit pack 13 as a detector. It is not necessary to arrange on the upper side of the pipe 12 and attach it to the pipe 100, and it can be attached in any direction depending on the extending direction of the pipe 100.

  The main body case 30 is, for example, a stainless steel metal case, and includes a cylindrical container 30A having an open upper end welded to the support column 14 and a circular lid 30B fitted to the upper end portion of the cylindrical container 30A. 30A and the circular lid 30B are welded in a waterproof state. The flow rate display unit 32 accommodated in the main body case 30 is disposed above the measurement circuit 31 and flows through the glass plate 33 fitted in the upper end portion (specifically, the circular lid 30B) of the main body case 30 in a waterproof state. The display unit 32 is visible. The measurement circuit pack 13 includes a display lid 34 for covering the upper end surface 13A (glass plate 33). The display lid 34 is shown in the closed position shown in FIG. 1 and the closed position shown in FIG. 2, centering on hinge portions 35, 35 provided at positions near the outer edge of the circular lid 30B (specifically, one side in the axial direction of the detector 12). It can be rotated between the open position.

  FIG. 9 shows the flow meter main body 11 with the external power supply pack 50 removed. As shown in the figure, a power reception is provided at a position near the outer edge of the upper end surface 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13 on the side opposite to the hinge portions 35, 35 (specifically, the other side in the axial direction of the detector 12). A side connector 36 (corresponding to the “waterproof connector” of the present invention) is provided. The power receiving side connector 36 has a structure in which a side of a pair of male terminal fittings 36T, 36T erected from the upper end surface 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13 is surrounded by a connector housing 36H (see FIG. 11).

  As shown in FIG. 9, the connector housing 36 </ b> H has a bottomed cylindrical shape and is fixed to the upper surface of the glass plate 33. The male terminal fittings 36T, 36T extend through the bottom wall of the connector housing 36H and the glass plate 33 into the main body case 30 and are electrically connected to the measurement circuit 31 at the lower ends. As shown in FIG. 6, O-rings 36T1 and 36T1 are attached to the axial direction intermediate portions of the male terminal fittings 36T and 36T. These O-rings 36T1 and 36T1 are received by conical recesses 36H1 and 36H1 formed on the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the connector housing 36H, and are sandwiched between the conical recesses 36H1 and the glass plate 33. These O-rings 36T1 and 36T1 seal the through portion of the glass plate 33 through the male terminal fitting 36T.

  An external power supply pack 50 externally attached to the measurement circuit pack 13 includes a battery 61 as the “power supply means” of the present invention and a power supply side connector 62 that is detachably fitted to the power receiving side connector 36 (“waterproof” of the present invention. Corresponding to “connector”) as a main part. As shown in FIG. 16, the external power supply pack 50 includes an inner body 60 and an outer housing 51 that covers the inner body 60 from the outside.

  The inner body 60 includes, for example, a plurality of (three in the present embodiment) batteries 61 (specifically, cylindrical lithium batteries) connected in parallel to a molded resin molded body 600 (the “power supply covering member” of the present invention). Equivalent). The inner body 60 is a body main body 60A in which a plurality of batteries 61, 61 are arranged side by side along the arc of the outer peripheral surface of the substantially cylindrical measuring circuit pack 13 and sealed with a molded resin molded body 600. And a body projecting portion 60B that projects laterally from the body main body portion 60A and is disposed so as to face the upper end surface 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13. By arranging the plurality of batteries 61 and 61 along the arc of the outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack 13, the flow meter 10 can be made compact compared to the case where such arrangement is not used. In the present embodiment, the molded resin molded body 600 in which the batteries 61, 61 and the like are sealed is made of an epoxy resin, but other resins may be used.

  The power supply side connector 62 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom at the bottom, and is provided integrally with the molded resin molded body 600 so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the front end of the body overhang 60B (see FIG. 15). A pair of terminal holes 62B and 62B arranged side by side are opened on the lower end surface of the power supply side connector 62 (see FIG. 13), and a pair of female terminal fittings are provided at the inner ends of the terminal holes 62B and 62B. 62T and 62T are provided (see FIG. 6). In addition, an O-ring groove 62A is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the power supply connector 62, and an O-ring 63 is attached thereto.

  When the power receiving side connector 36 and the power feeding side connector 62 are fitted, the O-ring 63 is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the connector housing 36H of the power receiving side connector 36. Thereby, a sealed waterproof space 81 (see FIG. 6) is formed between the power receiving side connector 36 and the power feeding side connector 62. The male terminal fittings 36T, 36T and the female terminal fittings 62T, 62T are fitted in the waterproof space 81, whereby the batteries 61, 61 and the measurement circuit 31 are electrically connected.

  A power protection circuit 64 (see FIG. 18) is provided in the external power pack 50. The power source protection circuit 64 is connected between the batteries 61 and 61 and the power supply side connector 62, and is sealed in the body main body 60A (in the molded resin molded body 600) in the same manner as the batteries 61 and 61. Yes. The power supply protection circuit 64 can prevent, for example, the battery 61 from being overheated, damaged, or consumed due to a short circuit between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery 61 and an excessive current flowing from the positive electrode to the negative electrode during battery replacement work. An electric wire 65 connecting the power supply side connector 62, the batteries 61 and 61, and the power protection circuit 64 is also sealed in the molded resin molded body 600. Thus, since the batteries 61 and 61, the power supply protection circuit 64, and the electric wire 65 are sealed in the molded resin molded body 600, they can be protected from moisture and external force.

  A battery fitting reinforcement lid 67 is fitted to the upper ends of the batteries 61 and 61, and this battery fitting reinforcement lid 67 is also embedded in the body main body 60A (in the molded resin molded body 600). As shown in FIG. 18, the battery fitting reinforcing lid 67 is formed by arranging a plurality of fitting pieces 67A and 67A that are fitted to the individual batteries 61 in an arc shape, and adjacent fitting pieces 67A and 67A. The structure is connected. Each fitting piece 67A is configured by combining annular ribs and radially extending ribs, and has a spider web-like lattice structure. By fitting the upper end portion of the battery 61 to each of these three fitting pieces 67A, the plurality of batteries 61, 61 are positioned along the arc of the outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack 13. Further, the body main body portion 60 </ b> A of the inner body 60 can be reinforced by the battery fitting reinforcing lid 67. The battery fitting reinforcement lid 67 is integrally assembled with a bus bar 69 extending across the center of the three fitting pieces 67A and 67A. In addition, a plurality of holding claws 67B are integrally formed on the side surface of the battery fitting reinforcing lid 67, and the power protection circuit 64 is held by the holding claws 67B.

  As shown in FIG. 16, in the molded resin molded body 600, a protruding reinforcing wall 68 is embedded in the body protruding portion 60 </ b> B so as to straddle the body main body portion 60 </ b> A and the power supply side connector 62. The overhanging reinforcing wall 68 is configured such that a plurality of sub-walls 68B are interposed between a plurality of main walls 68A, 68A rising from the battery fitting reinforcing lid 67 in a sickle shape (see FIG. 18). By embedding the overhang reinforcement wall 68, the body overhang portion 60B can be reinforced.

  The power supply side connector 62, the battery fitting reinforcing lid 67, and the overhanging reinforcing wall 68 described above are integrally formed of a resin (for example, ABS resin) different from the molded resin molded body 600 (see FIG. 17). It constitutes a “mold reinforcing member”.

  In the external power supply pack 50, the outer housing 51 can be divided into a housing body 51A and a housing lid 51B. The main body 60A of the inner body 60 is accommodated in the housing main body 51A. On the other hand, the housing lid 51B covers the upper end portion of the body main body 60A and the body overhang 60B from above and from the side (see FIG. 16). Further, the portion covering the body projecting portion 60B bulges upward and laterally from the upper surface of the housing lid 51B, and the bag-shaped bulged portion 53 whose lower surface (the surface facing the upper end surface of the main body case 30) is opened. (See FIGS. 13 and 16). 13 and 14, the housing main body 51A and the housing lid 51B are fixed by a plurality of bolts 51C and 51C that can be inserted and removed from the housing main body 51A side (that is, the lower surface side of the external power supply pack 50). Has been. Thereby, the inner body 60 can be taken in and out of the outer housing 51. The bolt 51C is a tamper-proof bolt (for example, “Torx (registered trademark) screw”) having a deformed recess (for example, a hexagonal star-shaped recess) into which the tip of a special driver can be fitted. Since it cannot be loosened with a tool other than a special driver, unauthorized disassembly of the outer housing 51 can be prevented.

  The above-described body projecting portion 60B of the inner body 60, the bag-like bulging portion 53 of the outer housing 51, and corner walls 55A and 55B described later correspond to the “side projecting portion” of the present invention. The body main body 60A and the portion of the outer housing 51 excluding the bag-like bulging portion 53 and the corner walls 55A and 55B correspond to the “power pack main body” of the present invention.

  A slide engagement portion according to the present invention is provided between the measurement circuit pack 13 and the external power supply pack 50. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the power receiving power connector 36 is positioned on both sides of the power receiving side connector 36 on the opposite side of the outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack 13 (main body case 30) from the hinge portion 35. A pair of guide protrusions 37, 37 extending in the fitting direction F <b> 1 (hereinafter referred to as “connector fitting direction F <b> 1”) between the side connector 36 and the power feeding side connector 62 are formed to project.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the concave curved surface 52 of the outer housing 51 of the external power supply pack 50 that faces the outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack 13 extends in the connector fitting direction F1. In addition, a pair of guide grooves 54, 54 are formed to be depressed. The pair of guide protrusions 37, 37 and the pair of guide grooves 54, 54 are slidably engaged to guide the direct movement of the external power supply pack 50 in the connector fitting direction F1. Here, the guide grooves 54 and 54 have a dovetail structure, and the movement of the external power supply pack 50 in the direction intersecting the connector fitting direction F1 is restricted.

  As shown in FIG. 15, corner walls 55 </ b> A and 55 </ b> B are integrally formed at both corners of the outer housing 51 where the concave curved surface 52 and the bag-like bulging portion 53 intersect. These corner walls 55A and 55B project to the measurement circuit pack 13 side and are arranged so as to overlap the upper edge of the measurement circuit pack 13 (see FIG. 4). Further, a bolt insertion hole 56 (corresponding to the “screw insertion hole” of the present invention) is formed through both corner walls 55A and 55B in the connector fitting direction F1, and the “screw member” of the present invention from above. The tamper-proof bolt 57 (specifically, “Torx (registered trademark) screw”) is inserted (see FIGS. 13 and 14).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack 13 is on the side opposite to the hinge portion 35 and sandwiched between the pair of guide protrusions 37, 37. A pair of bolt screw cylinders 38, 38 (corresponding to the “female thread portion” of the present invention) is formed. The bolt screw cylinders 38, 38 extend in the connector fitting direction F 1 similarly to the guide protrusions 37, 37, and open upward at the upper edge of the measurement circuit pack 13. The external power supply pack 50 and the main body case 30 can be fixed in a connector-fitted state by inserting tamper-proof bolts 57 and 57 into these bolt screw cylinders 38 and 38 and performing a screwing operation. Since the tamper-proof bolt 57 cannot be loosened with a tool other than a special screwdriver, it is possible to prevent unauthorized release of the connector and, consequently, unauthorized removal of the external power supply pack 50. As shown in FIG. 1, the tamper-proof bolts 57 and 57 can be covered with the display lid 34.

  As shown in FIG. 15, of the corner walls 55A and 55B in the outer housing 51, one corner wall 55A protrudes more toward the measurement circuit pack 13 than the other corner wall 55B, and is measured in the connector fitting state. It overlaps with a part of the upper end surface 13 </ b> A of the circuit pack 13. And the pin insertion hole 58 different from the bolt insertion hole 56 has penetrated the part near the front-end | tip of the corner wall 55A which protruded greatly in the connector fitting direction F1.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, a plate engagement pin 39 is disposed in a portion of the upper end surface 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13 that overlaps the corner wall 55A in the connector fitting state. . As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 7, the plate engagement pin 39 stands up in the connector fitting direction F <b> 1 from the upper end surface 13 </ b> A of the measurement circuit pack 13, and protrudes laterally from the shaft portion 39 </ b> A and its tip. And a head 39B. The head 39B has a truncated conical shape. In the connector fitting state, the plate engaging pin 39 penetrates the pin insertion hole 58 and protrudes from the upper surface of the corner wall 55A.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, a rotating member 40 is provided on the upper end surface 13 </ b> A of the measurement circuit pack 13. The rotating member 40 is formed by bending a sheet metal piece, for example, and rotates around a rotating shaft extending in the connector fitting direction F1. Specifically, the rotating member 40 includes a plate-shaped ring 41 on the rotation center side, a rotation plate 42 on the side away from the rotation center, and a crank shape between the plate-shaped ring 41 and the rotation plate 42. It is bent (see FIG. 10).

  The plate-shaped ring 41 is loosely fitted to the outside of the connector housing 36H, and is prevented from coming off from the connector housing 36H by a plurality of retaining projections 36H2 and 36H2 projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the connector housing 36H (FIGS. 9 and 9). 11). Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the swivel plate 42 is held in a state of floating from the upper end face 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13, and in this state, the side of the connector housing 36H is connected to the external power supply pack as shown in FIG. 4 is rotatable between a non-engagement position separated from 50 and an engagement position engaged (overlapped) with the corner wall 55A of the external power supply pack 50 in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. .

  As shown in FIG. 11, the revolving plate 42 is formed with an arcuate slit 42A extending in the revolving direction and having one end opened. The width of the slit 42A is larger than the diameter of the shaft portion 39A in the plate engaging pin 39 and smaller than the diameter of the head portion 39B. The swivel plate 42 is formed with a plurality of operation pieces 42B and 42B whose edges are bent and raised.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the power receiving side connector 36 and the power feeding side connector 62 are completely fitted to each other, the upper surface of the corner wall 55A is the lower surface of the head 39B in the plate engaging pin 39 as shown in FIG. It arrange | positions more downward and the clearance gap 80 is formed between those both surfaces. As the swivel plate 42 enters the gap 80, the shaft portion 39A of the plate engagement pin 39 enters the slit 42A of the swivel plate 42 as shown in FIG. It can be set to the engaged position (overlapped). The upper surface of the corner wall 55A and the lower surface of the swivel plate 42 are formed with a convex portion 55A1 and a concave portion 42C that engage with each other at the engagement position (see FIGS. 11 and 12). So that it does not move to the disengaged position.

  The configuration of the flow meter 10 of the present embodiment is as described above. When the battery life of the flow meter 10 in use connected to the pipe 100 is approaching and needs to be replaced, the external power pack 50 is replaced with a new one according to the following procedure. First, the display lid 34 is opened, and the turning plate 42 is manually operated to move from the engagement position shown in FIG. 4 to the non-engagement position. Next, the tamper-proof bolts 57 and 57 are loosened with a special driver. Next, the external power supply pack 50 is held and moved above the measurement circuit pack 13. Then, the external power supply pack 50 is moved in the connector fitting direction F1 by the guide of the slide engaging portions (the guide protrusions 37, 37 and the guide grooves 54, 54), and the power receiving side connector 36 and the power supply side connector are moved in the moving process. The fitting with 62 is released. As a result, the old external power supply pack 50 is removed from the flowmeter main body 11.

  Next, a new external power supply pack 50 is attached to the flow meter main body 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the swivel plate 42 is left in the disengaged position, and the bag-like bulging portion 53 (body overhanging portion) of the external power supply pack 50 is formed on the upper end surface 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13. 60B) with the lower surface facing each other (see FIG. 10), the guide protrusions 37, 37 of the measurement circuit pack 13 are inserted into the guide grooves 54, 54 of the external power supply pack 50, and the external power supply pack 50 is left as it is. Is moved downward. That is, the external power supply pack 50 is slid downward along the concave curved surface 52 of the external power supply pack 50 along the outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack 13. At this time, the external power supply pack 50 is guided in the connector fitting direction F1 by the guidance of the slide engaging portions (the guide protrusions 37, 37 and the guide grooves 54, 54). The power supply side connector 62 is fitted. Further, tamper-proof bolts 57, 57 are inserted into the bolt screw cylinders 38, 38, and the plate engagement pin 39 penetrates the pin insertion hole 58 of the corner wall 55A.

  Next, the anti-tamper bolts 57 and 57 inserted into the bolt screw cylinders 38 and 38 are screwed and tightened. Thereby, the power supply side connector 62 and the power receiving side connector 36 are brought into a completely fitted state, and the external power supply pack 50 can be reliably fixed in the completely fitted state. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the O-ring 63 attached to the power supply side connector 62 comes into close contact with the connector housing 36 </ b> H of the power reception side connector 36.

  Next, the turning plate 42 is manually operated from the non-engagement position to the engagement position. If the power supply side connector 62 and the power reception side connector 36 are fully engaged (the state shown in FIG. 5), the revolving plate 42 has the head of the plate engagement pin 39 and the upper surface of the corner wall 55A. The slit 42A and the plate engaging pin 39 are engaged with each other and are disposed at the engaging position overlapping the upper surface of the corner wall 55A (see FIG. 7).

  On the other hand, when the power supply side connector 62 and the power reception side connector 36 are in a half-fitted state (the state shown in FIG. 6) in which they are not completely fitted, the corner wall 55A is completely fitted as shown in FIG. The gap 80 is not formed between the upper surface of the corner wall 55 </ b> A and the lower surface of the head portion 39 </ b> B of the plate engaging pin 39, which is located above the combined state. When the turning plate 42 is rotated toward the engaging position in this state, the turning plate 42 interferes with the corner wall 55A and the movement of the turning plate 42 to the engaging position is restricted. With this, it is possible to make the battery replacement operator aware that the battery is in the half-fitted state, and it is possible to prompt appropriate measures such as retightening the tamper-proof bolts 57 and 57.

  This completes the replacement of the external power supply pack 50. If necessary, a label indicating the date of battery replacement, the next battery replacement time, and the like may be attached to the outer surface of the external power supply pack 50.

  In the above operation example, the entire external power supply pack 50 is replaced. However, in the external power supply pack 50, the outer housing 51 can be used and only the inner body 60 can be replaced. In that case, the plurality of bolts 51C and 51C, which are fixed to the housing main body 51A and the housing lid 51B of the outer housing 51, are loosened and removed, the old inner body 60 is taken out from the housing main body 51A, and a new inner body is replaced. The body 60 is inserted. Then, the housing main body 51A and the housing lid body 51B may be fixed in a combined state with a plurality of bolts 51C and 51C as they are, and reattached to the measurement circuit pack 13.

  Thus, according to the flow meter 10 of the present embodiment, since the external power supply pack 50 is detachably attached to the measurement circuit pack 13, the external power supply pack remains connected to the pipe 100 while the flow meter body 11 is connected. Only 50 can be replaced, the replacement work is easy, and the fluid supply is not interrupted. In addition, since the measurement circuit pack 13 and the external power supply pack 50 have a waterproof structure, it is possible to prevent a failure of the measurement circuit 31 and the battery 61 due to intrusion of moisture and moisture. Furthermore, a sealed waterproof space 81 is formed by fitting the power receiving side connector 36 and the power feeding side connector 62, and the batteries 61 and 61 and the measurement circuit 31 are conductively connected in the waterproof space 81. Therefore, conduction failure (corrosion or short circuit of the terminal fittings 36T, 62T) due to moisture intrusion can be prevented.

  In particular, when the flow meter 10 of this embodiment is used as a water meter, it is as follows. That is, the water meter is usually installed in an outdoor meter box, but the meter box is relatively narrow. However, with the flow meter 10 of this embodiment, the power supply means can be easily replaced even in a narrow meter box. Further, although moisture tends to increase in the meter box, it is possible to prevent a failure of the measurement circuit 31 and the battery 61 due to the intrusion of moisture and a conduction failure between the battery 61 and the measurement circuit 31. Furthermore, since the external power supply pack 50 can be replaced while the flow meter main body 11 is connected to the water pipe, it is possible to avoid the disconnection of the tap water and not inconvenience the water user.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the power receiving side connector 36 is provided integrally with the main body case 30 and the power feeding side connector 62 is provided integrally with the molded resin molded body 600. Can be prevented, and the power supply side connector 62 and the battery 61 can be prevented from being separated.

  In addition, the concave curved surface 52 of the external power supply pack 50 is measured while the bag-like bulging portion 53 (body overhanging portion 60B) in the external power supply pack 50 is disposed opposite to the upper end surface 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13. When the external power supply pack 50 is slid along the outer peripheral surface of the circuit pack 13, the power supply side connector 62 and the power reception side connector 36 are fitted together with the sliding movement. It can be carried out. In other words, in the present embodiment, the external power pack 50 can be replaced from the same direction as when the meter reading of the flow rate display unit 32 is performed.

  In addition, since the slide movement of the external power supply pack 50 with respect to the measurement circuit pack 13 is guided by the slide engaging portions (the guide protrusions 37 and 37 and the guide grooves 54 and 54), the connector fitting work and the fitting releasing work are performed. It can be done smoothly. Further, since the guide grooves 54 and 54 have a dovetail structure so that the movement of the external power pack 50 in the direction intersecting the connector fitting direction F1 is restricted, the fitting portions and the body of the connectors 36 and 62 and the body The load applied to the overhanging portion 60B can be reduced.

  In addition, since the mold reinforcing member (battery fitting reinforcing lid 67 and protruding reinforcing wall 68) is embedded in the molded resin molded body 600 across the body main body 60A and the body protruding portion 60B, the external power supply pack is provided. It is possible to prevent the molded resin molded body 600 from being bent when the 50 is attached or detached.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the embodiments described below are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and various other than the following can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It can be changed and implemented.

  (1) In the above embodiment, an electromagnetic flow meter is illustrated as an example of the flow meter 10, but a flow meter of another measurement principle having a part that operates electrically (for example, an ultrasonic type, a vortex type, a turbine type, etc.) But you can.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the battery 61 is exemplified as the power supply means provided in the external power supply pack 50. However, the battery 61 may be a primary battery or a secondary battery. A capacitor may be used as the power supply means.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the battery 61 is embedded in the molded resin molded body 600 so as to be waterproofed. However, the outer housing 51 of the external power supply pack 50 may be waterproof.

  (4) In the above embodiment, the inner body 60 in which the battery 61 is sealed with the molded resin molded body 600 is housed in the outer housing 51 to form the external power supply pack 50, but the external power supply pack 50 is replaced with the inner body 60. You may comprise only.

  In this case, a corner wall through which the tamper-proof bolts 57, 57 and a guide groove that engages with the guide protrusion 37 may be formed integrally with the inner body 60.

  (5) When the flow rate display unit 32 is not arranged on the upper end surface 13A of the measurement circuit pack 13 as in the above embodiment, the power supply side connector 62 is arranged on the lower surface of the external power supply pack 50, and the connector is fitted. The measurement circuit pack 13 and the external power supply pack 50 may be configured to overlap in the connector fitting direction F1 when the state is reached.

  (6) In the above embodiment, the power receiving side connector 36 is integrally provided in the main body case 30 and the power feeding side connector 62 is integrally provided in the molded resin molded body 600 of the external power supply pack 50. A power receiving side connector 36 and a power feeding side connector 62 may be provided at the end of the cable by extending a cable from one or both of the power supply pack 50 and the external power supply pack 50.

  (7) As described above, the flow meter 10 may be used as a water meter, or may be used, for example, for measuring the flow rate of a fluid other than factory waste water or water.

10 Flow meter 13 Measurement circuit pack 30 Body case 31 Measurement circuit 36 Power-receiving side connector (waterproof connector)
37 Guide protrusion (slide engagement part)
38 Bolt screw cylinder (female thread)
42 Rotating plate 50 External power supply pack 51 Outer housing 53 Bag-like bulging portion 54 Guide groove (sliding engagement portion)
55A, 55B Corner wall 56 Bolt insertion hole 57 Tamper-proof bolt 60 Inner body 60A Body main body 60B Body overhang 61 Battery (power supply means)
62 Power connector (waterproof connector)
64 Power supply protection circuit 67 Battery fitting reinforcement cover 68 Overhang reinforcement wall 81 Waterproof space 600 Molded resin molded body (power supply covering member)
F1 Connector mating direction

Claims (11)

A measurement circuit pack in which a measurement circuit for measuring a flow rate is packaged in a waterproof state in a main body case;
An external power pack, wherein the power supply means is packaged in a waterproof state with a power covering member, and is detachably attached to the measurement circuit pack;
Provided in each of the measurement circuit pack and the external power supply pack and fitted together to form a sealed waterproof space, and the power supply means and the measurement circuit are electrically connected in the waterproof space. A flow meter comprising a pair of waterproof connectors. A power receiving side connector as the waterproof connector provided integrally with the main body case;
The flowmeter according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply side connector as the waterproof connector provided integrally with the power supply covering member. A power supply pack main body portion that is provided in the external power supply pack and that has the power supply means that is addressed to a side surface of the measurement circuit pack;
A side projecting portion that projects laterally from the power supply pack main body, and is disposed opposite to one end surface of the measurement circuit pack,
The power receiving side connector disposed on one end surface of the measurement circuit pack;
The flowmeter according to claim 2, further comprising: the power supply side connector disposed on a surface of the side projecting portion facing the one end surface of the measurement circuit pack. A screw insertion hole penetrating the side projecting portion in a direction opposite to one end surface of the measurement circuit pack;
A screw member inserted into the screw insertion hole from the side opposite to the one end surface of the measurement circuit pack;
The flowmeter according to claim 3, further comprising a female screw portion that is formed in the measurement circuit pack and is screwed into the screw member.   The flowmeter according to claim 4, wherein the screw member is a tamper-proof bolt having an irregular recess into which a tip of a special driver can be fitted. A substantially cylindrical measuring circuit pack;
6. The power supply pack main body portion including a plurality of batteries as the power supply means arranged along a circular arc of an outer peripheral surface of the measurement circuit pack. The flow meter according to claim 1.   The measurement circuit pack is pivotally attached to one end surface of the measurement circuit pack, and can be engaged with the external power supply pack only when the power supply side connector and the power reception side connector are completely fitted. The flowmeter according to any one of claims 3 to 6, further comprising a turning plate that cannot be engaged with the external power supply pack in a half-fitted state with the power receiving side connector. A plurality of batteries as the power supply means, and a molded resin molded body as the power supply covering member integrally including the power pack main body and the side projecting portion;
8. The device according to claim 3, further comprising a mold reinforcing member embedded across the power pack main body portion and the side projecting portion of the molded resin molded body. Flowmeter.   The side surface of the measurement circuit pack and the side surface of the power supply pack main body are provided with slide engaging portions that slide and engage with each other in the fitting direction of the power receiving side connector and the power feeding side connector. A flow meter according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that:   10. A power supply protection circuit provided in the external power supply pack, for preventing an excessive current from flowing from a positive electrode to a negative electrode of the battery as the power supply means. The flow meter according to claim 1.   The flow meter according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the flow meter is a water meter.

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