JP7096636B2 - Field water management method using drain plugs and drain plugs - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a drain plug and a method for managing water in a field using a drain plug.

Patent Document 1 discloses a water tap or a drain plug provided with an electric actuator for the field that operates a displacement mechanism for controlling water supply to the field or drainage from the field. By using these water taps and drain plugs, it becomes possible to remotely control the water supply to the field and the drainage from the field via a cloud server or the like.

Therefore, a water level sensor is provided in the field, and the water tap and the drain plug are controlled based on the water level detected by the water level sensor.

As such a water level sensor, a pressure type water level sensor that has a wireless communication function and can detect an arbitrary water level within a predetermined range, a pillar that has a scale indicating the water depth and is erected on the rice field, and a pillar. A float type water level sensor equipped with a float switch whose mounting position can be adjusted in the vertical direction via an attachment and a signal line is used.

JP-A-2017-193914

However, when the pressure type water level sensor described above is initially installed at a predetermined position in the field, the water level is automatically measured thereafter, and the measured water level is transmitted to an external device including a faucet by wireless communication. Although it is free from subsequent maintenance and highly convenient, it has a problem that the equipment cost for installing it in a large number of fields is high because it is very expensive.

The float type water level sensor described above is a sensor that detects the water surface position and is very inexpensive. However, a support is erected in each field and the position is adjusted so that the scale indicating the water depth matches the height from the field surface. Every time it is necessary to adjust the water level of the field after installation, it is necessary to manually adjust the vertical position of the float switch according to the scale so that the water level position corresponding to the target water depth can be detected. There was a problem that complicated installation work and adjustment work were required.

Therefore, there has been a demand for a water management method in a field that can be carried out by using a water tap or a drain plug equipped with the above-mentioned electric actuator for the field, and can reduce the cost burden and the labor of maintenance at the same time.

An object of the present invention is to provide a drainage plug and a method for managing water in a field using a drainage plug, which simplifies the installation work and the adjustment work of the detected water level and can detect the water level at low cost in view of the above-mentioned problems. It is in.

In order to achieve the above object, the first characteristic configuration of the drain plug according to the present invention is a drain water level adjusting portion capable of adjusting the vertical height from the rice field surface, and a vertical height of the drain water level adjusting portion via an actuator. A water level control unit that automatically adjusts the water level, and a wireless communication unit that connects the water level control unit and an external device. The point is that it is equipped with a first water level sensor that moves up and down to measure the relative water level of the field with respect to the drainage water level adjusting unit.

The water level control unit automatically adjusts the vertical height of the drainage water level adjustment unit from the field surface via an actuator to adjust the water storage level in the field by the faucet. Since the first water level sensor is configured to move up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjusting unit, the relative water level of the field with respect to the drainage water level adjusting unit is measured by the first water level sensor. That is, the water level of the field can be grasped from the relative water level measured by the first water level sensor and the stored water level of the field adjusted by the drainage water level adjusting unit. Since the vertical position of the first water level sensor is automatically adjusted according to the adjustment of the vertical height of the drainage water level adjustment unit from the field surface, there is no need to manually adjust the water level detection position of the first water level sensor. Become.

In addition to the above-mentioned first characteristic configuration, the second characteristic configuration moves up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjusting unit to measure the relative water level lower than the relative water level of the field with respect to the drainage water level adjusting unit. A second water level sensor is further provided, the first water level sensor is used as an upper limit water level sensor, the second water level sensor is used as a lower limit water level sensor, and the water level sensor is composed of the upper limit water level sensor and the lower limit water level sensor. It is in the point of being.

For example, in the case of flooding a field, the second water level sensor detects that the water level in the field has dropped after the water supply to the field is stopped at the water level detected by the first water level sensor. Then, the water supply from the faucet will be resumed. When the water surface undulates due to the influence of wind or the like, the output of the first water level sensor is switched each time, resulting in an unfavorable situation in which water supply from the water tap and water supply stop are frequently repeated. Even in such a case, by providing the second water level sensor, for example, even if the water level position is lower than the water level sensor, if the water level position is detected by the second water level sensor, the water tap is closed. When the water level position is no longer detected by the second water level sensor, it is possible to control the water supply from the faucet to be restarted.

The third feature configuration is that, in addition to the first or second feature configuration described above, the water level sensor is composed of a float switch that moves up and down according to the water level of the field.

The float moves up and down according to the water surface that moves up and down in the field. If the position of the switch that operates when the float is close is adjusted to the water level detection position, the switch operates when the float that rises with the rise of the water level approaches the switch and the water level reaches the water level detection position. Is detected.

In the fourth characteristic configuration, in addition to any of the above-mentioned first to third characteristic configurations, the drainage water level adjusting portion is composed of a weir plate or a drainage cylinder, and the water level sensor is the weir plate or the drainage cylinder. It is at the point where it is attached to.

A weir plate or a drainage pipe is preferably used as a drainage water level adjusting unit, and when the weir plate or the drainage pipe is adjusted in the vertical position according to the drainage water level, the water level sensor attached to the weir plate or the drainage pipe is used as the weir plate or the drainage pipe. The detected water level can be adjusted by moving up and down in conjunction with the cylinder.

The fifth feature configuration is a drain plug that adjusts the stored water level in the field with a drain water level adjustment unit that can manually adjust the vertical height from the field surface, and is up and down in conjunction with the drain water level adjustment unit. However, it is equipped with a water level sensor that measures the relative water level of the field with respect to the drainage water level adjusting unit.

Since the water level sensor moves up and down in conjunction with the manually adjusted drainage water level adjustment unit, it is not necessary to manually adjust the vertical position of the water level sensor each time the vertical height of the drainage water level adjustment unit is adjusted.

The sixth characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the fifth characteristic configuration described above, it is provided with a communication unit that transmits the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level to an external device.

When the relative water level detected by the water level sensor or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level is transmitted to the external device via the communication unit, the external device can perform appropriate processing based on the water level.

The seventh feature configuration is that the communication unit is a wireless communication unit in addition to the fifth feature configuration described above.

When the relative water level detected by the water level sensor or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level is transmitted to the external device via the wireless communication unit, the external device can perform appropriate processing based on the water level. By providing the wireless communication unit, the water level can be easily transmitted even when the external device is located remotely.

The first characteristic configuration of the field water management method according to the present invention is the field water management method using a drain plug having any of the above-mentioned first to fourth characteristic configurations, and the wireless communication unit. A drainage water level command step for transmitting the stored water level of the field from an external device via an external device and a drainage water level adjusting step for adjusting the drainage water level adjusting unit to a vertical height corresponding to the stored water level via the actuator by the water level control unit. And, when the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the field water level transmission step of transmitting the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level to the external device via the wireless communication unit is provided. There is a point.

When the stored water level of the field is transmitted from the external device in the stored water level command step, the drained water level adjustment unit is adjusted to the vertical height corresponding to the stored water level via the actuator in the drainage water level adjustment step, and is linked to the drainage water level adjustment unit. Then, the vertical height of the water level sensor is synchronized with the ground, and the relative water level detected by the water level sensor in the field water level transmission step or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level is transmitted to the external device. For example, if the external device is a water tap, the water supply can be stopped by determining that the stored water level in the field has reached a predetermined water level in the field water level transmission step. For example, if the external device is a cloud server, the field can be stopped. Water storage control can be performed remotely.

The second characteristic configuration is a method for managing water in a field using a drain plug having the sixth characteristic configuration described above, and when the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the relative water level or the relative water level The field water level transmission step of transmitting the water storage water level of the field calculated from The point is that it is equipped with a water tap opening / closing command step for transmitting a command to instruct.

The water level detected by the water level sensor from the drain plug is transmitted from the drain plug by the field water level transmission step, the water level is transmitted from the water tap to the external device by the water tap opening / closing command step, and the water tap is transmitted from the external device based on the water level. A command to open and close is sent to.

The third characteristic configuration is a method for managing water in a field using a drain plug having the seventh characteristic configuration described above, and when the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the relative water level or the relative water level The field water level transmission step of transmitting the water storage water level of the field calculated from the above to the external device via the wireless communication unit, and the external device via the wireless communication unit in order to adjust the water storage water level of the field. It is equipped with a water faucet opening / closing command step for transmitting a command to open / close the water faucet.

The water level detected by the water level sensor is wirelessly transmitted from the drain plug to the external device by the field water level transmission step, and a command to instruct the water tap to open / close is wirelessly transmitted from the external device based on the water level by the field water level transmission step.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drainage plug and a method for managing water in a field using a drainage plug, which simplifies the installation work and the adjustment work of the detected water level and can detect the water level at low cost. I can now do it.

Explanatory drawing of the field and the water management system of the field (A) is an explanatory diagram of the side view of the drain plug, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the drainage control mechanism. (A) is an explanatory diagram of the water level sensor attached to the drainage mechanism 22A, and (b) and (c) are explanatory diagrams of the field water level and the operation of the water level sensor. Explanatory drawing of water tap

The field management device and the field management method provided with the drain plug and the water tap drain plug will be described below.
[Configuration of field water management system]
As shown in FIG. 1, in each field 1 where rice is cultivated, a water tap 12 that guides water flowing through the water supply pipe 10 to the field 1 via the headrace 11 and a field 1 via the floodway 21. A drain plug 22 for draining the water from the water canal 20 is provided, and a repeater 32 such as a Wi-Fi router for relaying the connection with the Internet 30 is installed in the vicinity of the field 1. Further, the drain plug 22 is provided with a water level sensor 2 for measuring the water level of the field 1.

Each water tap 12 and drain plug 22 are configured to be connectable to the cloud server 34 via the Internet 30, and a mobile terminal 36 such as a smartphone owned by the administrator of the field 1 can be connected to the cloud server 34 via the Internet 30. It is configured in. That is, the water management system 100 in the field is configured by each water supply plug 12, drainage plug 22, mobile terminal 36, cloud server 34, and the Internet 30 that connects them in a communicable manner.

Taking rice cultivation as an example, each process of rice cultivation, for example, puddling, rice planting, survival period, tillering period (early and late), panicle formation period to heading flowering period, ripening period, etc. It is necessary to adjust the water level of the water storage. In particular, since multiple fields will be guided all at once during the puddling period, it is necessary to efficiently manage the water supply for flooding.

Therefore, the cloud server 34 is configured to generate a water supply schedule for each field 1 based on the water supply request for each field 1 requested by each administrator via the mobile terminal 36.

The water supply request transmitted from the mobile terminal 36 includes a field ID that identifies a field to be supplied, a water supply date and time, and a water supply water level. The cloud server 34 is configured to generate a water supply schedule for each field for which a water supply request has been made and store it in a storage unit according to a field map registered in advance.

The field map is a field map showing the position of each field, and the cloud server 34 is assigned a field ID for each field specified in the field map together with the field map, and the water faucet 12 installed in each field and the water tap 12 and the field map are attached. It has a water tap ID and a drain plug ID for specifying the drain plug 22, and a field database in which the manager ID is associated with the field ID.

The cloud server 34 outputs a drainage water level adjustment command to the drainage plug 22 of the corresponding field 1 at the water supply date and time specified in the water supply schedule stored in the storage unit, and also outputs the drainage water level adjustment command to the water supply plug 12 of the corresponding field 1. Output a water supply command. The drainage water level means the water storage level of the target field.

The drain plug 12 that has received the drain water level adjustment command adjusts the drain water level, and the water tap 12 that has received the water supply command opens the water supply valve to guide water to the field. When the water level sensor 2 detects that the field water level has reached a predetermined water level, the drain plug 12 to which the signal line of the water level sensor 2 is connected transmits water level information to the cloud server 34, and the cloud server 34 sends the water level information. When the water level information is received, a water supply stop command is transmitted to the water faucet 12. Upon receiving the water supply stop command, the water tap 12 controls the water absorption valve to stop the water supply.

[Configuration of drain plug and water level sensor]
Hereinafter, the drain plug 22 for adjusting the water storage water level in the field and the water level sensor 2 arranged on the drain plug 2 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the drainage plug 22 is detachably attached to the drainage mechanism 22A housed in the drainage basin 201 provided in the field and the upper surface of the drainage basin 201, and is a drainage mechanism. It is equipped with a drainage control mechanism 22B that controls 22A to adjust the drainage water level (reservoir water level).

The drainage mechanism 22A includes a receiving frame member 211 installed at the bottom of the drainage basin 201, a weir body 212 which is a cylindrical drainage cylinder supported by the receiving frame member 211 so as to be vertically movable, and an up-and-down moving body 212. It is equipped with a mechanism 220. The upper end opening of the weir body 212 functions as a drainage port 212a, and the surplus irrigation water supplied to the field 1 overflows from the drainage port 212a and flows out to the drainage channel 21.

A U-shaped support portion 213 in a side view is fixed to the upper end opening of the weir body 212, and an elevating mechanism 220 is attached to the support portion 213. The elevating mechanism 220 is fixed to the upper surface of the support portion 213 and has a cylindrical movable portion 221 having a female screw formed on the inner peripheral surface and a male screw formed on the outer peripheral surface and screwed with the female screw of the movable portion 221. It is provided with a rotating shaft 222 and a pair of rod-shaped bodies 223 for preventing the movable portion 221 from rotating with the rotating shaft 222.

That is, when the rotating shaft 222 rotates in one direction, the weir body 212 attached to the movable portion 221 via the support portion 213 rises together with the movable portion 221, and the rotating shaft 222 rotates in the opposite direction. The weir body 212 attached to the movable portion 221 via the support portion 213 descends together with the movable portion 221. The drainage water level adjusting unit 210 is configured by the above-mentioned weir body 212 and the elevating mechanism 220.

The drainage control mechanism 22B has a watertight casing 231 detachably attached to the upper surface of the drainage basin 201 via a pedestal 202, and a solar panel 232 attached to the top surface of the casing 231 in an inclined posture so as to face the sun. The drive mechanism 240 housed in the casing 231, the storage battery 233, the antenna 234, the control panel 235, and the like are provided. The control panel 235 incorporates a water level control unit 236, a wireless communication unit 237, and the like.

The water level control unit 236 and the wireless communication unit 237 are configured to include peripheral circuits such as a CPU, a memory, an input / output circuit, and a communication circuit, and a control program stored in the memory is executed by the CPU to perform a predetermined function. Then, the control function for the drainage water level adjusting unit 210 is realized.

The water level control unit 236 controls the drainage water level adjusting unit 210 via the drive mechanism 240 so as to be the drainage water level instructed from the cloud server 34 via the wireless communication unit 237, and the field via the water level sensor 2 described later. When it is detected that the water storage level has reached the target water level, it is reported to the cloud server 34 via the wireless communication unit 237 that the water storage level has been reached.

The power generated by the solar panel 232 is charged to the storage battery 233, and the charging power of the storage battery 233 is consumed as the control power of the water level control unit 236 and the wireless communication unit 237.

The drive mechanism 240 includes a DC motor 241 having a built-in encoder, a hollow main gear 243 that meshes with a gear 242 provided on the output shaft of the DC motor 241 and a drive shaft 246 inserted into the hollow portion of the main gear 243. It is configured to be equipped with such as, and functions as an actuator for raising and lowering the drainage water level adjusting unit 210.

The main gear 243 is a double-boss type gear including a cylindrical boss portion 244 extending in the vertical direction and a disk-shaped gear portion 245 extending in the vertical central portion of the boss portion 244, and is a boss portion. The top and bottom of the 244 are rotatably supported by bearings. The key 246k protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 246 fits into the key groove formed on the inner peripheral surface of the boss portion 244, and the main gear 243 and the drive shaft 246 are configured to rotate integrally. ..

The lower end of the drive shaft 246 and the upper end of the rotary shaft 222 are driven and connected via a coupling 247 (see FIG. 2A), and when the DC motor 241 is rotationally driven in one direction, the dam body 212 rises and the drainage water level is reached. When the (reservoir water level) rises and the DC motor 241 is rotationally driven in the opposite direction, the dam body 212 descends and the drainage water level (reservoir water level) falls.

By setting the position where the upper end opening position of the weir body 212 is at the field level as the reference position and managing the upper end opening position of the weir body 212 based on the number of pulses of the encoder detected when the DC motor 241 is driven. The upper end opening position of the weir body 212 can be controlled to a desired height.

As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the support portion 213 attached to the upper end opening of the weir body 212 has a length at which the tip protrudes from the opening 201a of the drainage basin 201 toward the field 1 in a horizontal posture. The set arm member 250 is attached, and a pair of float switch type water level gauges 252,253 having different vertical heights are attached to the hanging portion 251 on the tip end side of the arm member 250. The pair of float switch type water level gauges 252 serves as the first water level sensor, and the water level gauge 253 serves as the second water level sensor. The arm member 250 may be attached to other than the support portion 213, and may be arranged so as to move up and down integrally with the weir body 212.

The float switch type water level gauge is composed of, for example, a float f having a built-in magnetic material, a support shaft a that holds the float f so as to be movable up and down, and a reed switch s provided at an upper position of the support shaft a. When the float f rises along the support axis a and reaches the reed switch s as the water storage water level in the field 1 rises, the contact of the reed switch s closes to detect that the water level has reached a predetermined water level. It is a switch to do.

Therefore, unlike the pressure type water level gauge, the float switch type water level gauge cannot directly detect the water level from the field surface, but the float indicates that the water level has reached the height at which the contacts such as the reed switch are located. It can be detected by climbing. In the present embodiment, the relative water level of the field is measured with reference to the drainage water level adjusting unit 210 by moving up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjusting unit 210.

Specifically, the first water level sensor is located in the hanging portion 251 on the tip end side of the arm member 250 at a position corresponding to the height h1 of the upper end opening of the dam body 212 constituting the drainage water level adjusting portion 210 with reference to the rice field surface 1s. A reed switch of the water level gauge 252 is provided, and a reed switch of the water level gauge 253 as the second water level sensor is provided at a position corresponding to the height h2 (= h1-Δh) of the upper end opening of the dam body 212. There is.

FIG. 3B shows an example in which the water level is set to a predetermined h3, and FIG. 3C shows an example in which the water level is set to h4 (<h3). When the water level in the field 1 reaches h3 and h4, the water level gauge 252 detects that the water level has reached the target water level. In this case, it goes without saying that the water level gauge 253, which is the second water level sensor, is already on.

When the water level is detected by the water level meter 252, which is the first water level sensor after the start of water supply to the field 1, the water level control unit 236 provided in the drain plug 22 determines that the target water storage level has been reached, and wireless communication is performed. It is reported to the cloud server 34 via the section 237 that the target water storage level has been reached. In response to this, the cloud server 34 transmits a water stop command to the corresponding water tap 12 of the field 1.

When the water surface is wavy, a chatter occurs in which the contacts of the reed switches that move up and down with the float of the water level gauge 252, which is the first water level sensor, move up and down as the water surface undulates. When the vertical fluctuation of the water level is reported to the cloud server 34, an inconvenient situation occurs in which a water supply command and a water stop command are alternately transmitted to the water tap 12.

In preparation for such a case, after the water level is detected by the water level gauge 252, which is the first water level sensor, the water level control unit 236 raises the water level by the other water level gauge 253, which is the second water level sensor. It is configured so that the water level fluctuation is not reported to the cloud server 34 until it is detected that the water level has dropped, and the water level drop is reported to the cloud server 34 only when the water level meter 253 detects that the water level has dropped. Has been done. The detected water level difference of the water level gauges 252 and 253 is set to several tens of mm (for example, about 20 mm).

In preparation for the undulation of the water surface, the height of the upper end opening of the weir body 212 is set to h3 (= h1 + Δh), and one of the water levels is Δh lower than the height of the upper end opening of the weir body 212 with respect to the rice field surface. A total of 252 reed switches may be provided. When set in this way, it is possible to appropriately detect that the stored water level has reached the target water level by one of the water level gauges 252, and even if the water surface is wavy, it is wastefully drained from the upper end opening of the weir body 212. Is gone.

In the above-described embodiment, as the water level sensor, the first water level sensor that moves up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjusting unit and measures the relative water level of the field with the drainage water level adjusting unit as a reference, and the drainage water level adjusting unit are linked. An example of providing a second water level sensor that moves up and down and measures a relative water level lower than the relative water level of the field with respect to the drainage water level adjustment unit has been described, but even if the configuration is provided only with the first water level sensor. good.

Further, a third water level sensor that detects an intermediate relative water level between the relative water level of the field detected by the first water level sensor and the relative water level of the field detected by the second water level sensor may be provided.

In the above-described embodiment, the drainage water level adjusting unit 210 is composed of a drainage cylinder (weir body 212), and the water level sensor 2 moves up and down in conjunction with the drainage cylinder. It may be configured to be composed of a weir plate that partitions the drainage channel 21, and the water level sensor 2 may be configured to move up and down in conjunction with the weir plate. The overflow water level from the field is adjusted by adjusting the vertical height of the weir plate that separates the field from the flood channel, so that the above-mentioned arm member extends to the field on the weir plate so as to detect the adjusted overflow water level. It suffices if it is placed in.

That is, the drain plug 22 has a drainage water level adjusting unit that can adjust the vertical height from the rice field surface 1s, a water level control unit that automatically adjusts the vertical height of the drainage water level adjusting unit via an actuator, a water level control unit, and an outside. It is configured to include a wireless communication unit that connects to the cloud server 34, which is a device.

Then, the water level sensor that moves up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjustment unit to measure the relative water level of the field with respect to the drainage water level adjustment unit, and similarly moves up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjustment unit to move the drainage water level adjustment unit. It is equipped with a lower limit water level sensor that detects a lower limit water level lower than the relative water level of the reference field.

The drainage water level adjusting unit is composed of a dam plate or a drainage cylinder, and the water level sensor and the lower limit water level sensor are composed of float switches that move up and down according to the water level of the field and are attached to the drainage cylinder.

As the water level sensor, a sensor other than the float switch, for example, an electric contact type sensor may be used. For example, one contact may be attached to the hanging portion of the arm member in association with the target water level, and the other contact may be installed near the field surface to detect the presence or absence of a current flowing between both electrodes. ..

In the above-mentioned example, the mode in which the water tap 12 and the drain plug 22 are connected to the Internet via a repeater 32 such as a Wi-Fi router has been described, but the wireless communication unit provided in the water tap 12 and the drain plug 22 is provided. It may be configured by a terminal that can be connected to a mobile phone line and can be connected to the Internet via a gateway.

In addition, a plurality of fields are grouped together, and the wireless communication unit provided in the water tap 12 and the drain plug 22 is composed of a communication device that performs communication based on a specific low power radio, and one communication device and a slave unit that serve as a master unit. Other communication devices that become It may have a different configuration.

[Configuration of water tap]
Hereinafter, the water tap 12 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 4, the water tap 12 is detachably attached to the water supply mechanism 12A housed in the water supply basin 101 provided in the field and the upper surface of the water supply mechanism 12A, and controls the water supply mechanism 12A to supply water or supply water. It is equipped with a water supply control mechanism 12B that switches to either stop water.

The water supply mechanism 12A is arranged to face the cylindrical valve box 120, the valve seat 121 protruding inwardly from the central portion in the vertical direction of the valve box 120, and the valve seat 121, and has a rubber sealing member on the lower surface. It is provided with a disk-shaped valve body 124 to which 123 is attached. The lower end of the valve box 120 is connected to the headrace 11 branched from the water supply pipe 10.

A bearing 126 having a female thread formed on the inner peripheral surface is attached to the upper end of the valve box 120, and a valve shaft 125 having a male thread formed on the outer peripheral surface is screwed into the bearing 126. The lower end of the valve shaft 125 is fixed to the valve body 124.

A water passage hole 122 is formed in the central portion of the valve seat 121, and a plurality of water outlet windows 127 are formed so as to be arranged in the circumferential direction on the upper portion of the side wall of the valve box 120. When a rotational force is applied to the valve shaft 125, the valve shaft 125 moves up and down along the bearing 126, and the valve body 124 moves up and down as the valve shaft 125 moves up and down. That is, the valve mechanism is composed of a seal member 123 provided between the valve seat 121, the valve body 124, the valve seat 121, and the valve body 124.

The water supply control mechanism 12B includes a watertight casing 131 and a solar panel 132 mounted in an inclined posture so as to face the sun on the top surface of the casing 131, similarly to the drainage control mechanism 22B provided in the drain plug 22 described above. The drive mechanism 140 housed in the casing 131, the storage battery 133, the antenna 134, the control panel 135, and the like are provided. The control panel 135 incorporates a valve open / close control unit 136, a wireless communication unit 137, and the like.

The open / close control unit 136 and the wireless communication unit 137 are configured to include peripheral circuits such as a CPU, a memory, an input / output circuit, and a communication circuit, and a predetermined function is performed by executing a control program stored in the memory on the CPU. Then, the opening / closing control function for the valve mechanism provided in the water supply mechanism 12A is realized.

The open / close control unit 136 controls the valve mechanism via the drive mechanism 140 to open the valve to a preset valve opening when the water supply instruction is given from the cloud server 34 via the wireless communication unit 137, and the cloud server 34 controls the valve mechanism. When it is transmitted that the water storage level in the field has reached the target water level, the valve mechanism is closed.

The power generated by the solar panel 132 is charged to the storage battery 133, and the charging power of the storage battery 133 is consumed as the control power of the open / close control unit 136 and the wireless communication unit 137.

The drive mechanism 140 includes a DC motor 141 having a built-in encoder, a hollow main gear 143 that meshes with a gear 142 provided on the output shaft of the DC motor 141, and a drive shaft 146 inserted through a hollow portion of the main gear 143. It is configured to be equipped with such as, and functions as an actuator for raising and lowering the valve body 124.

The main gear 143 is a double-boss type gear including a cylindrical boss portion 144 extending in the vertical direction and a disk-shaped gear portion 145 extending in the vertical central portion of the boss portion 144, and is a boss portion. The top and bottom of 144 are rotatably supported by bearings. A key protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 146 is fitted into a key groove formed on the inner peripheral surface of the boss portion 144, and the main gear 143 and the drive shaft 146 are configured to rotate integrally. ..

The lower end of the drive shaft 146 and the upper end of the valve shaft 125 are driven and connected via the coupling 147, and when the DC motor 141 is rotationally driven in one direction, the valve body 124 rises to a water supply state, and the DC motor 141 is in the opposite direction. When it is rotationally driven, the valve body 124 descends and becomes a water stop state.

[Field water management method]
The above-mentioned field water management system 100 stores the water storage water level command step for transmitting the water storage water level of the field from an external device (cloud server) via the wireless communication unit, and the water level control unit stores the drainage water level adjusting unit via the actuator. The drainage water level adjustment step that adjusts to the vertical height corresponding to the water level, and when the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level is set to the external device (cloud) via the wireless communication unit. The field water level transmission step to transmit to the server) and the field water management method comprising.

When the water storage water level of the field is transmitted from the external device (cloud server) in the water storage water level command step, the drainage water level adjustment unit is adjusted to the vertical height corresponding to the water storage water level via the actuator in the drainage water level adjustment step, and the drainage water level is adjusted. The vertical height of the water level sensor is automatically adjusted in conjunction with the adjustment unit. The water supply from the faucet is started, and the relative water level detected by the water level sensor in the field water level transmission step or the water storage water level of the field calculated from the relative water level is transmitted to the external device (cloud server). For example, if the external device is a water tap, the water supply can be stopped by determining that the stored water level in the field has reached a predetermined water level in the field water level transmission step. For example, if the external device is a cloud server, the field can be stopped. Water storage control can be performed remotely.

Hereinafter, another embodiment of the drain plug and the water level sensor arranged in the drain plug will be described.
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the vertical height of the drainage water level adjusting unit is automatically adjusted by the water level control unit via an actuator has been described, but the vertical height of the drainage water level adjusting unit is configured to be manually adjustable. May be good.

In other words, it is a drain plug that has a drainage water level adjustment unit that can manually adjust the vertical height from the field surface and adjusts the water storage water level in the field. It suffices to have a water level sensor that measures the relative water level of the reference field.

For example, instead of the drainage control mechanism 22B described above, a handle for manually rotating the rotating shaft 222 may be provided on the upper surface of the drainage basin 201, or the support portion 213 attached to the upper end opening of the weir body 212 may be directly moved up and down manually. It may be configured to operate.

Since the water level sensor moves up and down in conjunction with the manually adjusted drainage water level adjustment unit, it is not necessary to manually adjust the vertical position of the water level sensor each time the vertical height of the drainage water level adjustment unit is adjusted.

In addition, even when the vertical height of the drainage water level adjustment unit is manually adjusted and the water level sensor is adjusted up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjustment unit, the field calculated from the relative water level or the relative water level of the water level sensor with respect to the drainage water level adjustment unit. It is preferable to have a wireless communication unit that transmits the stored water level of the above to an external device, and the relative water level detected by the water level sensor or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level is like the cloud server described above via the communication unit. When transmitted to an external device, the external device can perform appropriate processing based on the water level, for example, remote control of the faucet.

In a drainage tap equipped with such a manually adjusted drainage water level adjusting unit, when the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level is clouded via the wireless communication unit. A water faucet opening / closing command for transmitting a field water level transmission step to be transmitted to an external device such as a server and a command for instructing the water faucet to open / close from the external device via the wireless communication unit in order to adjust the water storage water level in the field. By providing a step, a method of water management in the field is carried out.

In order to transmit the relative water level of the water level sensor or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level to the external device, it is equipped with a wired communication unit instead of the wireless communication unit, specifically a signal line that outputs the contact state of the water level sensor. May be. By outputting the contact state to the water tap 12 having a wireless communication function, which is an external device, via the signal line, the water level information can be reported from the water tap 12 to the cloud server.

In such a drain plug, when the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the field water level transmission step of transmitting the water storage water level of the field calculated from the relative water level or the relative water level to the water tap via the communication unit, and the water storage of the field. In order to adjust the water level, the water management method in the field is executed by providing a water faucet opening / closing command step in which an external device such as a cloud server communicating with the water faucet sends a command to instruct the faucet to open / close. ..

The embodiments described above are merely examples of the present invention, and the description is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. Needless to say, it is possible to appropriately change and design within the range in which the action and effect of the invention are exhibited.

100: Field water management system 1: Field 1s: Field 2,252,253: Water level sensor 10: Water supply pipe 12: Water tap 20: Drainage channel 22: Drainage tap 30: Internet 32: Repeater 34: Field management server ( External device)
210: Drainage water level adjustment unit 236: Water level control unit 240: Drive mechanism (actuator)

Claims (10)

A wireless connection between a drainage water level adjusting unit that can adjust the vertical height from the field surface, a water level control unit that automatically adjusts the vertical height of the drainage water level adjusting unit via an actuator, and the water level control unit and an external device. It is a drain plug that is equipped with a communication unit and regulates the water storage level in the field.
A drain plug provided with a first water level sensor that moves up and down in conjunction with the drain water level adjusting unit and measures the relative water level of the field with respect to the drain water level adjusting unit. Further equipped with a second water level sensor that moves up and down in conjunction with the drainage water level adjusting unit and measures a relative water level lower than the relative water level of the field with respect to the drainage water level adjusting unit.
The drain plug according to claim 1, wherein the first water level sensor is an upper limit water level sensor, the second water level sensor is a lower limit water level sensor, and the water level sensor is composed of the upper limit water level sensor and the lower limit water level sensor. The drain plug according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water level sensor is composed of a float switch that moves up and down according to the water level of the field. The drainage plug according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the drainage water level adjusting unit is composed of a weir plate or a drainage cylinder, and the water level sensor is attached to the weir plate or the drainage cylinder. It is a drain plug that adjusts the water storage level in the field with a drain water level adjustment unit that can manually adjust the vertical height from the field surface.
A drain plug provided with a water level sensor that moves up and down in conjunction with the drain water level adjusting unit and measures the relative water level of the field with respect to the drain water level adjusting unit. The drainage plug according to claim 5, further comprising a communication unit that transmits the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level to an external device. The drain plug according to claim 6, wherein the communication unit is a wireless communication unit. A method for managing water in a field using the drain plug according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The water storage level command step for transmitting the water storage level of the field from the external device via the wireless communication unit and the water level control unit adjust the drainage water level adjusting unit to a vertical height corresponding to the water storage level via the actuator. Drainage water level adjustment step and
When the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the field water level transmission step of transmitting the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level to the external device via the wireless communication unit, and the field water level transmission step.
Field water management method. A method for managing water in a field using the drain plug according to claim 6.
When the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the field water level transmission step of transmitting the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level to the faucet via the communication unit, and the field water level transmission step.
A faucet opening / closing command step in which an external device communicating with the faucet sends a command to instruct the faucet to open / close in order to adjust the water storage level in the field.
Field water management method. A method for managing water in a field using the drain plug according to claim 7.
When the water level is detected by the water level sensor, the field water level transmission step of transmitting the relative water level or the stored water level of the field calculated from the relative water level to the external device via the wireless communication unit, and the field water level transmission step.
In order to adjust the water storage level in the field, a water tap opening / closing command step for transmitting a command to open / close the water tap from the external device via the wireless communication unit, and a water tap opening / closing command step.
Field water management method.

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