JP6801935B2 - How to attach the communication device to the gas meter - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method of attaching a communication device to a gas meter.

In recent years, by constructing a network connecting a gas supply source and a gas meter using a public line or wireless communication, the amount of gas used in a customer's house can be detected remotely to improve the efficiency of meter reading. A remote meter reading system is provided. Further, the gas meter applied to such a remote meter reading system is provided with a communication device for transmitting an electric signal corresponding to the meter reading value.

And, as a conventional gas meter as described above, for example, it is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-178725

In the above-mentioned conventional gas meter, since the communication device is exposed to the outside of the gas meter and attached, the communication line for connecting them is also exposed to the outside. This not only spoils the appearance of the gas meter, but may also lead to a disconnection accident of the communication line.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and can easily connect the gas meter and the communication device, improve the appearance of the gas meter, and prevent the communication line from being cut. The purpose is to provide a mounting method.

The method of attaching the communication device to the gas meter according to the present invention is to provide the gas meter with a storage portion that opens toward the front of the gas meter, and to install the communication device in the storage portion, the communication device side terminal portion provided in the communication device. Is stored so that it faces forward, the communication device side terminal part and the meter side terminal part provided in the storage part are connected by a communication line, the communication device is inverted, and the communication device and the communication line are placed in the storage part. It is stored and the opening of the storage portion is covered with a cover member.

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily connect the gas meter and the communication device, improve the appearance of the gas meter, and prevent the communication line from being cut.

FIG. 5 is an external view of a gas meter to which the method of attaching a communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 1A is a front view of a gas meter to which a cover member is attached. FIG. 1B is a front view of a gas meter to which a communication device is attached. FIG. 1C is a front view of the gas meter from which the cover member and the communication device have been removed. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1A. It is a figure which showed the procedure of the attachment method to the gas meter of the communication device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a state before the communication device is housed in the gas meter. FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a state in which the communication device is stored in the gas meter in a state of being turned inside out. FIG. 3C is a diagram showing a state in which a communication device and a gas meter are connected by a communication line. FIG. 3D is a diagram showing a state in which the communication device is inverted and stored in the gas meter again.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1.
1A to 1C are external views of a gas meter to which the method of attaching a communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1A.

The gas meter 1 shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C and FIG. 2 is a so-called smart meter, which has a wireless function.

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C and FIG. 2, the gas meter 1 includes a housing 11, a front case 12, and a wireless handset 30 as a communication device. The housing 11 and the front case 12 form the main body of the gas meter 1. The metal housing 11 is arranged on the back side of the gas meter 1, and the resin front case 12 is arranged on the front side of the gas meter 1. The wireless slave unit 30 is built in the front case 12.

The housing 11 includes a gas inflow port 13a and a gas outflow port 13b. The gas inflow port 13a and the gas outflow port 13b are provided in the upper part of the housing 11 and communicate with the measurement flow path formed inside the housing 11. That is, the gas inflow port 13a allows the supplied gas to flow into the upstream end of the measurement flow path. Further, the gas outlet 13b causes the gas that has flowed into the measurement flow path to flow out from the downstream end thereof to the outside of the gas meter 1.

The gas meter 1 has a function of measuring the flow rate and the integrated flow rate in the process in which the supplied gas passes through a series of measurement flow paths from the gas inflow port 13a to the gas outflow port 13b. Further, the gas meter 1 includes a substrate (not shown), and the substrate converts the measured flow rate and the integrated flow rate into an electric signal as a meter reading value of the gas meter 1 and transmits the measured flow rate.

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the front case 12 is provided with a display unit 14 on the front surface thereof. The display unit 14 is electrically connected to the substrate, and by transmitting an electric signal from the substrate, it is possible to display the flow rate and the integrated flow rate that are the meter reading values of the gas meter 1.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the front case 12 includes a cover member 21. The cover member 21 constitutes the lower front surface of the front side case 12, and is detachably attached to the lower part of the front side case 12.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1B, 1C, and 2, the front case 12 includes a storage portion 22. The storage portion 22 is provided so as to face the cover member 21 attached to the front case 12 in the front-rear direction, and is a storage space that opens toward the front of the gas meter 1. That is, the storage portion 22 partitioned at the lower part of the front case 12 has an opening 22a that opens toward the front of the gas meter 1, and the opening 22a is a cover member attached to the front case 12. It is covered from the front side by 21.

The storage unit 22 houses the terminal block 15 and the wireless slave unit 30, which are terminal units on the meter side. The terminal block 15 is arranged along the upper side of the opening 22a and is electrically connected to the substrate. The wireless slave unit 30 is arranged at the lower part of the terminal block 15 and is detachably attached to the inside of the storage portion 22 by using a screw 17. At this time, the surface 30a of the wireless slave unit 30 faces the cover member 21 in the front-rear direction via the opening 22a of the storage portion 22. On the other hand, the back surface 30b of the wireless slave unit 30 faces the bottom surface 22b of the storage unit 22 in the front-rear direction.

The wireless slave unit 30 performs wireless communication with a wireless master unit (not shown). The wireless master unit is connected to the host computer of the gas supply source through a public line, and transmits an electric signal corresponding to the meter reading value wirelessly transmitted from the wireless slave unit 30 to the host computer. As a result, each gas meter 1 installed in a plurality of customer's homes and the host computer of the gas supply source construct a remote meter reading system.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the wireless slave unit 30 has a built-in board 31, and the board 31 includes a terminal block 32 that serves as a terminal portion on the communication device side. The terminal block 32 projects outward from the back surface 30b of the wireless handset 30, and is electrically connected to the terminal block 15 of the gas meter 1 via a communication line 16. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2, the communication line 16 is arranged between the bottom surface 22b of the storage unit 22 and the back surface 30b of the wireless handset 30.

Further, the wireless handset 30 is provided with a recess 33. The recess 33 is formed so as to be recessed from the back surface 30b. On the other hand, the storage portion 22 includes a protruding portion 23. The protruding portion 23 is formed so as to project forward from the bottom surface 22b of the storage portion 22. The protrusion 23 and the recess 33 can be fitted in the front-rear direction.

Therefore, when the wireless slave unit 30 is installed in the storage portion 22 of the gas meter 1, the protruding portion 23 and the recess 33 are fitted to each other, and the wireless slave unit 30 is positioned with respect to the storage portion 22. The wireless slave unit 30 is screwed into the storage portion 22. Then, the electric signal corresponding to the meter reading value of the gas meter 1 is transmitted from the terminal block 15 of the gas meter 1 to the terminal block 32 of the wireless slave unit 30 via the communication line 16, and then wirelessly transmitted by the wireless slave unit 30. It is transmitted wirelessly to the master unit.

Here, the wireless handset 30 can be stored in the storage unit 22 even when it is turned inside out. That is, during normal use of the wireless slave unit 30, that is, during wireless transmission, the wireless slave unit 30 is housed in a state where the surface 30a faces forward. On the other hand, when the gas meter 1 and the wireless slave unit 30 are connected to each other, the wireless slave unit 30 is housed in a state where the back surface 30b faces forward.

In this way, the wireless handset 30 can be inverted with respect to the storage unit 22. At this time, the screw 17 can screw the wireless cordless handset 30 at the same screwing position regardless of whether the front surface 30a or the back surface 30b faces forward. Further, as described above, the protruding portion 23 fits into the recess 33 of the back surface 30b when the wireless slave unit 30 is housed with the front surface 30a facing forward, while the wireless slave unit 30 has the back surface 30b forward. When it is stored facing toward it, it comes into contact with a portion of the surface 30a facing the terminal block 32.

The reversal of the wireless handset 30 is a reversal in which the front surface 30a is facing forward to a state in which the back surface 30b is facing forward, and a state in which the back surface 30b is facing forward and the front surface 30a is facing forward. Includes both inversions and inversions that change to. The former reversal is applied, for example, when the wireless slave unit 30 is removed from the gas meter 1. On the other hand, the latter reversal is applied, for example, when the wireless slave unit 30 is attached to the gas meter 1.

Next, a method of attaching the wireless slave unit 30 to the gas meter 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the cover member 21 is removed from the front case 12.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the wireless slave unit 30 is stored in the storage unit 22 with the back surface 30b and the terminal block 32 facing forward, that is, turned inside out. Subsequently, the wireless slave unit 30 stored in that state is screwed using the screw 17.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3C, the terminal block 15 of the gas meter 1 and the terminal block 32 of the wireless handset 30 are connected by a communication line 16. At this time, the surface 30a of the wireless slave unit 30 faces the bottom surface 22b of the storage portion 22, and the protruding portion 23 is in contact with the portion of the surface 30a facing the terminal block 32.

As a result, the protruding portion 23 can receive the pressing force generated when the communication line 16 is connected to the terminal block 32, so that the wireless slave unit 30 is not pushed in at the time of the connection, and the wireless slave unit 30 is not pushed. The machine 30 is stably arranged without tilting. Therefore, in the wiring work between the gas meter 1 and the wireless slave unit 30, the wireless slave unit 30 is turned inside out with the terminal block 32 facing forward, and further, the wireless slave unit 30 is pressed against the protruding portion 23. Since the storage position is stabilized, it can be easily performed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3D, after removing the screw 17, the wireless handset 30 is inverted and stored in the storage unit 22 with the surface 30a facing forward. That is, the wireless slave unit 30 is housed so that the back surface 30b, the terminal block 32, and the recess 33 face the bottom surface 22b. Subsequently, the wireless slave unit 30 stored in that state is screwed using the screw 17.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 1B, the communication line 16 is arranged between the bottom surface 22b of the storage unit 22 and the back surface 30b of the wireless handset 30. Further, since the protruding portion 23 of the storage portion 22 and the concave portion 33 of the wireless slave unit 30 are fitted, the wireless slave unit 30 is positioned in the storage portion 22.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the cover member 21 is attached to the front case 12. As a result, the communication line 16 and the wireless slave unit 30 are covered with the cover member 21, so that they cannot be seen from the appearance of the gas meter 1.

The method of removing the wireless slave unit 30 from the gas meter 1 may be performed in the reverse order of the procedure of the mounting method described above, and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

Further, in the method of attaching the wireless handset 30 to the gas meter 1 according to the first embodiment, the communication line 16 stored in the storage unit 22 is provided on the bottom surface 22b of the storage unit 22 and the back surface 30b of the wireless handset 30. Although it is arranged between and, it is sufficient that both the communication line 16 and the wireless slave unit 30 can be stored in the storage unit 22.

That is, the arrangement when the communication line 16 is stored is appropriately adjusted according to the diameter and length of the communication line 16, the shape and size of the storage unit 22, the shape and size of the wireless handset 30, and the like. It is possible. For example, the communication line 16 can be arranged on the surface 30a of the wireless slave unit 30, or the communication line 16 can be arranged along the outer peripheral edge of the wireless slave unit 30.

Further, in the method of attaching the wireless slave unit 30 to the gas meter 1 according to the first embodiment, when the gas meter 1 and the wireless slave unit 30 are connected, a portion of the surface 30a facing the terminal block 32 and a protruding portion 23 are provided. However, if the protruding portion 23 can stabilize the wireless slave unit 30 by receiving the pressing force generated when the communication line 16 is connected to the terminal block 32, the protruding portion 23 will be in contact with the above. , It may come into contact with any part of the surface 30a on the back side of the terminal block 32.

From the above, according to the method of attaching the communication device to the gas meter according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the connection work between the gas meter 1 and the wireless slave unit 30 is performed through the opening 22a that opens toward the front. As a result, the connection work can be easily performed. Further, the communication line 16 can be hidden from the appearance of the gas meter 1 by storing the communication line 16 together with the wireless handset 30 in the storage unit 22 and covering the opening 22a with the cover member 21. As a result, the appearance of the gas meter 1 can be improved and the communication line 16 can be prevented from being cut off.

Moreover, when the communication line 16 is connected to the terminal block 32 of the wireless handset 30, the wireless handset 30 is stabilized by bringing the portion of the surface 30a facing the terminal block 32 into contact with the protruding portion 23. The connection work can be performed in this state.

Then, when the wireless slave unit 30 is inverted and stored after the connection, the concave portion 33 of the wireless slave unit 30 and the protruding portion 23 of the storage portion 22 are fitted to fit the wireless slave unit 30 in the storage portion 22. Can be easily positioned in.

Further, by screwing the wireless slave unit 30 at the time of connection and screwing the wireless slave unit 30 inverted after the connection at the same position and using the same screw 17, the screwing operation is efficient. Can be done

Further, by arranging the finally housed substrate 31 of the wireless slave unit 30 on the front side of the gas meter 1 in the wireless slave unit 30, the substrate 31 can be kept away from the housing 11 as much as possible. As a result, the wireless characteristics of the wireless slave unit 30 are not affected by the metallic housing 11, so that malfunction of the wireless slave unit 30 can be prevented.

In the present invention, within the scope of the invention, it is possible to modify any component of the embodiment or omit any component of the embodiment.

1 Gas meter 11 Housing 12 Front case 13a Gas inlet 13b Gas outlet 14 Display 15 Terminal block 16 Communication line 17 Screw 21 Cover member 22 Storage 22a Opening 22b Bottom 23 Projection 30 Radio slave unit 30a Front 30b Back 31 Board 32 Terminal block 33 Recess

Claims (6)

The gas meter is provided with a storage portion that opens toward the front of the gas meter.
The communication device is stored in the storage unit so that the communication device side terminal portion provided on the communication device faces forward.
The communication device side terminal portion and the meter side terminal portion provided in the storage portion are connected by a communication line.
The communication device is inverted, and the communication device and the communication line are stored in the storage unit.
A method of attaching a communication device to a gas meter, which comprises covering the opening of the storage portion with a cover member. The method for attaching a communication device to a gas meter according to claim 1, wherein the communication line is stored between the storage unit and the communication device. When the communication device side terminal portion and the meter side terminal portion are connected, the back side of the communication device side terminal portion in the communication device and the projecting portion protruding forward from the inside of the storage portion are brought into contact with each other. The method for attaching the communication device according to claim 1 or 2 to a gas meter. The method for attaching a communication device to a gas meter according to claim 3, wherein when the communication device is inverted and stored, the concave portion provided in the communication device and the protruding portion are fitted. A claim characterized in that screwing to the communication device at the time of connecting the terminal portion on the communication device side and the terminal portion on the meter side and screwing to the communication device inverted after the connection are performed at the same position. The method for attaching the communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to a gas meter. The communication device includes a substrate having the communication device side terminal portion.
The method for attaching a communication device to a gas meter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the substrate is arranged on the front side of the gas meter in the inverted communication device.

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