JPH02600B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel cutoff control device using a battery as a power source and a microcomputer.

Conventional technology A conventional fuel cutoff device consists of a gas flow rate sensor in a gas supply path, a cutoff valve installed in the gas supply path, and a control device, but because the solenoid valve consumes a large current, batteries are not used as the power source. Many such fuel cutoff control devices have yet to be seen. In addition, in many common devices that use batteries as a power source, if the battery voltage drops, the user may be able to avoid an increase in time error, as can be seen in devices that already have a display, such as watches and calculators. It is now possible to know that the battery voltage has dropped only after knowing that the battery is unable to perform calculations. As described above, the current situation is that there is no guarantee of operation when the battery voltage drops, and there is no means to reliably grasp and notify the operating state of the device based on the battery voltage level.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The function of a fuel cutoff control device is to install it at the entrance of a gas supply path, such as that found in gas meters in each home, and to detect abnormalities based on the flow rate when gas is continuously flowing out. The system automatically shuts off the supply line if the system is damaged, and such equipment must maintain monitoring operations throughout the year. In addition, this type of device is installed far away (outdoors), and daily users cannot frequently check the presence or absence of batteries when using fuel, so it consumes low power and can reliably detect voltage drops. and maintain that information. In addition, in order to reduce power consumption in a shutoff device using a battery as a power source, a self-holding electromagnetic valve is used, and even when the battery voltage drops, the current state of the shutoff valve is maintained. Therefore, even if the battery is low after being shut off, even if the valve is manually reset, it will appear to be operating normally, and the battery may not be replaced, which may disrupt the year-round monitoring function. There is a problem.

The present invention solves this problem, and in order to reduce the power consumption of the device, the device has a function of checking the battery voltage intermittently. Due to the large current consumption that occurs, the battery voltage drops and the control function is impaired, and because the battery voltage drop is not displayed, the shut-off part (solenoid valve) is reset without the battery being replaced. The purpose is to prevent this and ensure that the monitoring function of the fuel cutoff control device can be maintained throughout the year.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a power supply unit including a battery, a sensor input unit that inputs a flow rate signal of fuel flowing through a fuel supply path to a main control unit, and a a shutoff section consisting of a self-holding electromagnetic valve that shuts off the flow of fuel flowing through the passage; a display section that displays a voltage drop in the power supply section based on a signal from the main control section; a voltage detection section that is driven every time and compares the power supply section voltage with a predetermined voltage and outputs the main control section signal; and a return input section that gives a return signal to the main control section when the cutoff section is manually reset. The main control section receives signals from the sensor input section, the return input section, and the voltage detection section, and controls the display section and the cutoff section, as well as determining criteria for driving the cutoff section. The device has a data storage section in which flow rate data corresponding to the above is registered in advance, and the voltage detection section is driven by a signal from the return input section, and the input signal from the voltage detection section is determined.

Effects The present invention has the above-described configuration, so that when the battery voltage drops after driving the cut-off part (self-holding solenoid valve), the main control part drives the voltage detection part by manual return operation of the cut-off part. By checking the battery voltage and displaying the determination result on the display unit, the battery voltage can be confirmed and the device can be prevented from being used in a state where the control function is lost.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the figure, 1 is a power supply unit consisting of a battery, 2 is a clock generation unit that generates a clock that is a reference for time counting, 3 is a sensor input unit that inputs a fuel flow signal, and 4 is a light emitting diode that displays multiple different states. A display section consisting of an LED or liquid crystal display for displaying the cause of abnormality; 5 a shutoff section consisting of a self-holding electromagnetic valve that shuts off the fuel supply path; 6 a main control section consisting of a microcomputer; 7 a voltage detection section; 8 is a return input section.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

First, when the power supply section 1 is turned on, the entire control device becomes operational. The main control section 6 consists of a microcomputer, which inputs the flow rate signal from the sensor input section 3 and the clock signal from the clock generation section, and measures the fuel flow rate per unit time from the number of flow rate signals at arbitrary time intervals. . The microcomputer has previously registered flow rate data as a basis for shutting off or displaying an alarm, and compares the measurement results with the flow rate data. The registered flow rate is, for example, data on the maximum flow rate that must not be exceeded under normal usage conditions, as specified by the gas meter in each home in the gas supply route (exceeding this value is when the gas valve is opened). ), or if the elapsed time at the same flow rate exceeds the time specified by that flow rate, flow rate data can be used to determine that the appliance was forgotten to be turned off and shut off. .
As a result of the comparison, if the measured flow rate and time exceed the above data, display data is output to the display section 4, and then a cutoff signal is output. Since the solenoid valve in the cutoff section 5 is of a self-holding type, the cutoff signal only needs to be output for a predetermined period of time. The return input section 8 has, for example, a reed switch operated by a magnet provided at a position linked to the mechanical operation of the shutoff valve of the shutoff section 5, and the open/closed state of this reed switch mainly controls the open/closed state of the shutoff valve. It is input to the control section 6 and controls the clock generating section 2 so that when the valve is closed, the stop valve is in an operating state when it is open. Therefore, when the circuit is cut off, the operation of the clock generator 2 is stopped, and power consumption is reduced. Furthermore, when the shutoff valve is manually returned to the open state, the clock generator 2 operates, and the main controller 6 also receives the return signal and drives the voltage detector 7, thereby receiving the signal from the voltage detector. Enter to check the presence of battery voltage. If there is no abnormality in the voltage check result, display data can be output to the display section 4. Also, the clock signal from the clock generator 2 is counted and periodically (for example, every 24 hours)
It also has a repeat timer that operates the voltage detection section 7 at regular intervals, and periodically checks the battery voltage. Therefore, for example, if it is necessary to drive the shutoff valve after periodically checking the battery voltage and determining that there is no abnormality in the battery voltage, and the battery voltage has dropped after shutting off, the shutoff unit 4 will also operate. At the time of recovery, the battery voltage can be checked and the display section 4 can be driven to reliably notify the user, thereby preventing the battery from being used without being replaced.

FIG. 2 shows a specific embodiment based on the block diagram of FIG. The same numbers as in FIG. 1 indicate the same contents. 9 is a crystal oscillator and counter 1
For example, the frequency is divided by 1 and sent to the _I1 input terminal of the main controller 6.
This is to generate a clock pulse with a period of 0.1 seconds. Reference numeral 20 denotes a reed switch for measuring the flow rate of fuel, and the transistor 21 responds to the operation of the reed switch 20, which is installed close to a part of the meter in which a magnet moves back and forth depending on the gas flow rate, for example. Therefore, the main control section 6 can measure the fuel flow rate per unit time at any given time by counting the clock pulses input to the input terminal of _I2 . Reference numerals 12 to 14 designate transistors that supply current to the light emitting diodes LEDs 15, 16, and 17 connected to each other, and these are controlled by main controllers _O1 , _O2 , and _O3 . 18 is a transistor for driving the self-holding electromagnetic valve 19, and is controlled by the output terminal _O4 of the main control section 6. A transistor 22 is connected to the O ₅ terminal of the main control section 6 and is periodically driven to supply power to the voltage detection section 7 . 23 is a diode and generates a reference voltage _VO . A voltage comparator 24 compares the voltage at the connection point of the resistors 25 and 26 with the reference voltage V _D and outputs the voltage comparison result to the main control section.

27 is a reed switch, which is operated by a magnet installed in a position linked to the mechanical operation of the shutoff valve, and is turned on when the valve is open, and transistor 2 is turned on.
8 is made conductive, and the transistor 29 in the clock generating section 2 is also driven. Therefore, the clock generator 2
works. Further, when shutting off, the valve is closed and the reed switch 27 is turned off. The input terminal _I4 of the main control unit 6 is high during shutoff, and becomes low when the valve is manually reset, and is accepted as a return signal.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the fuel cutoff control device of the present invention provides the following effects. Since the battery voltage can be checked even when the valve is manually reset after a shutoff operation that consumes a large amount of current, battery voltage check errors can be prevented and the year-round monitoring function of the device will not be impaired, improving safety. In addition, since it is not necessary to check the battery voltage after and during the interruption of the interruption section which consumes a large current, it is possible to reduce the power consumption during the interruption.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a fuel cutoff control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a specific circuit diagram of FIG. 1. 1...Power supply section, 3...Sensor input section, 4...
Display section, 5... Shutoff section, 6... Main control section, 7...
Voltage detection section, 8...Return input section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A power supply section consisting of a battery, a sensor input section that inputs a flow rate signal of fuel flowing through the fuel supply path to the main control section, and a shutoff section consisting of a self-holding electromagnetic valve that shuts off the flow of fuel flowing through the fuel supply path. a display section that displays a voltage drop in the power supply section based on a signal from the main control section; a voltage detection section that outputs a signal to a control section; and a return input section that provides a return signal to the main control section when the cutoff section is manually reset; the main control section includes the sensor input section, the return input section, a data storage section into which a signal from the voltage detection section is input, controls the display section and the cutoff section, and in which flow rate data serving as a criterion for driving the cutoff section is registered in advance; A fuel cutoff control device that drives the voltage detection section based on a signal from the input section and determines the input signal from the voltage detection section.