JPH0440967A - Controller for gas cutoff valve - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an accident occurring and to prevent the service life of a battery shortened by providing a prohibiting means to detect the input time of a manual return switch when abnormality occurs and to prohibit the input of the manual return switch when the input time is inputted exceeding a criterion time. CONSTITUTION:The manual return switch 8a for passage return operation, a manual cutoff switch 8b, and a display part 9 are provided at a housing 1. A CPU 11 is equipped with an abnormality detecting means 11a in accordance with the output of a flow rate sensor 7, an open/close operating means 11b which judges the opening/ closing of a passage receiving signals from the manual switches 8a, 8b and an operation detection sensor 5a, a cutoff valve driving means 11c which outputs valve opening/ closing by the means 11a, 11b as pulse output, a clock means 11d which monitors the duration of an open/close operation by the open/close operating means 11b, and a cutoff valve opening operation prohibiting means 11e based on a clocked result. When the manual return switch 8a is depressed successively in an abnormal state, the output of a return pulse is stopped, and the self-holding of the switch is performed as keeping a cutoff state, therefore, a self-damaging accident can be prevented occurring, and a built-in battery can be prevented consumed excessively.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Objective of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) This invention provides a control device for a gas cutoff valve that is equipped with a mechanism that can avoid dangers that may occur when a manual reset switch is kept pressed. Regarding.

(Prior technology) A gas meter with a waste cutoff valve mechanism is equipped with a valve body in the flow path that is driven by a self-holding bidirectional solenoid, and also detects the flow rate of the metering section with a sensor, and detects the flow rate when an abnormal flow occurs. In some cases, for example, if gas continues to be supplied due to a gas leak even though the gas equipment is not operating, the manual cut-off switch can be manually operated to send a cut-off pulse to the solenoid and shut off the cut-off valve. ,
An increase in the flow rate is detected inside the gas meter, and if this value exceeds a certain reference value, a cutoff pulse is applied to the solenoid to close the flow path.

Furthermore, in order to open the flow path again, a manual return switch is manually input to apply a return pulse to the solenoid and open the flow path.

Fig. 5 shows the flowchart, and Fig. 6 shows the time chart. When it is determined that the flow rate is abnormal, a 1-pulse cutoff pulse "+1" is output from the control unit, that is, the CPU, and the cutoff operation of the cutoff valve is performed. be exposed. The shutoff valve is provided with a sensor for detecting the opening/closing operation, and when the shutoff operation is detected, that state is maintained (steps 1 to 3). Further, even if there is no flow rate abnormality, the shutoff operation can also be performed by manually operating the shutoff switch (steps 4 to 6).

In the cut-off state, the solenoid is self-held and the output of the control section is "O". If the return switch is pressed in this state,
After it is determined that there is no abnormality, the valve return signal “-1” is sent from the control unit.
'' is outputted as one pulse, and as a result, the solenoid is driven to the release side of the valve body, and is self-maintained in the released state even if the output of the control section returns to "0" (steps 7 to 9).

In other words, the gas meter with a shutoff valve configured as described above not only manually shuts off the flow path, but also automatically shuts off the flow path when gas leakage occurs, and then makes sure that the gas leak is repaired. We have adopted a manual recovery method based on the premise that this will occur.

With this configuration, even if the manual reset switch is input before the gas leak condition has been repaired, the flow path will be opened, but the value of the sensor will immediately exceed the reference value, and a cutoff pulse will be output again. , immediately after the input operation, it becomes closed again to ensure safety.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, even if a gas leak continues to occur, if the user mistakenly mistakenly assumes that the gas has returned to normal, or due to malice or mischief, the return switch may continue to be pressed as shown in Figure 5. There are cases.

In this case, as shown in Figure 5, the control unit outputs a return pulse of -1''.At first, there is no gas flow on the end side, but this state continues for a while, and then the sensor becomes abnormal. is detected and a cutoff pulse ``+1'' is output.

Therefore, this shutoff and return state repeats alternately at a predetermined time interval while the return switch continues to be pressed, and as a result, the solenoid alternately repeats opening and blocking of the flow path, and shuts off the gas. It is no longer possible to do this reliably,
There is a risk of causing an unexpected accident.

Further, the flow rate sensor, the control unit, and the solenoid are driven by a lithium battery built in the meter as a power source,
The lifespan of the battery is determined based on the assumption that the gas meter will be replaced over a relatively long period of time, approximately five years after installation.

Therefore, if the above-mentioned state of alternately repeating shutoff and return continues, the battery may be unnecessarily consumed, and there is a risk that the battery life will be exhausted before the time for replacing the meter is reached.

This invention solves the above problems, and prevents the above-mentioned unexpected accident and shortens battery life by prohibiting input when the manual reset switch is held down for longer than a certain reference time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device for a gas cutoff valve that prevents this from occurring.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a valve body that opens and closes a gas flow path, a self-holding bidirectional solenoid that drives the valve body to open and close, and a gas flow path. a means for detecting an abnormality in the flow path; a determining means for receiving a detection output from the abnormality detection means to determine the presence or absence of an abnormal situation; a manual return switch for opening the flow path; In a gas cutoff valve control device, comprising a solenoid control means that outputs a cutoff pulse to a solenoid and also outputs a return pulse to the solenoid in response to an input of the manual return switch: The system is equipped with a prohibiting means for detecting and prohibiting input of the manual return switch when the human power time is inputted in excess of the determination reference time.

(Function) According to the above configuration, if the manual reset switch is held down in an abnormal state, the output of the reset pulse will stop.
Self-maintained in the cut-off state.

(Embodiment of the Invention) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a gas meter with a built-in shutoff valve according to the present invention.

The gas meter shown in the figure has a measuring part 2 which is located inside a meter housing 1 and has a gas outlet 2a and a gas outlet 2b that form a flow path on both sides, and which converts this movement into rotational movement as the gas flows. In addition, a shutoff valve mechanism includes a self-holding bidirectional solenoid 5 having a protruding valve body 4 facing a nozzle 3 provided near the gas port 2a, and an operation detection sensor 5a attached to the solenoid 5. There is.

Further, a rotating disk 6 that rotates in synchronization with the internal rotational movement of the measuring section 2 protrudes from the upper part of the measuring section 2, and the rotation of this rotating disk 6 is detected by a flow rate sensor 7.

Further, the housing is provided with a manual return switch 8a for flow path return operation, a manual cutoff switch 8a, and a display section 9 that serves both for flow rate measurement and abnormality display.

These solenoid 5, operation detection sensor 5a, flow rate sensor 7, manual return and cutoff switches 8a, 8b,
The display unit 9 is connected to the CP via the input/output interface 10.
These are connected to the UI 1 and driven by a battery (not shown) built into the housing 1 as a power source.

In the normal state, the solenoid 5 keeps the valve body 4 in an open state, and the gas flows through the metering part 2 to the gas equipment side.
The metering unit 2 rotates according to the usage state of the gas appliance, and the flow rate sensor 7 detects the rotation of the rotating disk 6.

The CPU 1 receives the detection signal from the flow rate sensor 7 and causes the display unit 9 to sequentially display integrated values corresponding to the flow rate, and has the function shown in FIG. 2.

That is, an abnormality detection means 11a that responds to the output of the aforementioned flow rate sensor 7, an opening/closing operation means 11b that receives signals from the manual switches 8a, 8b, and the operation detection sensor 5a and determines whether to open or close the flow path; Means 11. a,llb
a shutoff valve drive means 11c that outputs the valve opening/closing by pulse output; a timer 1.1d that monitors the duration of the opening operation by the opening/closing operator stage 11b; and a means for inhibiting the opening operation of the shutoff valve based on the timing results. 11e.

Then, various abnormal states are determined and the following figure 3 (a),
The processes shown in the flowchart in (b) and the time chart in FIG. 4 are executed in sequence.

FIG. 3(a) shows the main processing program, and when an abnormal state occurs from a normal state due to a gas leak, etc., the rotation speed of the rotating disk 6 becomes faster than normal.

As a result, the detection output of the flow rate sensor 7 increases, but CP
The UII compares this detected value with a pre-programmed upper limit value of the output, and if this value exceeds the upper limit value, it applies a cutoff pulse "+1" to the solenoid 5 and causes the valve body 4 to perform a cutoff operation. to cut off the gas supply to the measuring section 2. In this state, the solenoid 5 is self-retained and maintains the cut off state. That is, the states of steps 111 to 113 are repeated (see FIG. 4).

Further, whether or not the step 112 is interrupted is confirmed by the output state of the motion detection sensor 5a.

When the flow path is blocked, the flow rate sensor 7 does not detect any abnormality, and as a result, the CPU 11 determines that there is no abnormality in step]11.

In the normal state or in the state in which it is determined that there is no abnormality according to the processing result, the manual cutoff switch 8b of step ]14 is turned to
If N is determined, the solenoid 5 is confirmed to be in the cut-off state, and then the cut-off operation is performed, and the process returns to step 111 via steps 115 and 116 to monitor whether or not there is an abnormality.

In step 117, the manual return switch 8 is
is turned on and the flow path is opened in step 118, the process returns to step 11 and the presence or absence of an abnormality is monitored.

Also, in steps 11.8 and 11.9, the flag Fl
-0, that is, in a state where the interrupt processing result described later is not output, the valve is released after a predetermined time delay after inputting the return switch 8a, and the process returns to step 111 again to monitor the presence or absence of an abnormality (see Figure 4). ).

The processing up to the above is similar to the conventional example.

However, in step 119, the valve opening prohibition process is performed by the penalty interrupt process, and when the flag becomes Fl-1, a check is performed to see if the manual return switch 8a continues to be in the ON state, and the manual return switch 8a is checked. OFF
As a result, the flag F1←0, that is, the valve opening prohibition process is cleared, and the process returns to step 111 again.

FIG. 3(b) shows an example of an interrupt processing program,
This is performed once at a predetermined time during the execution of the main program (a), and if the return switch 8a is turned off during interrupt processing, the process returns to the main program (a) (step 21
1 to 213), when the ON state continues, the timer is set in its initial state F2-0, and by entering F2-1, the timer is set to count state, and by the timer turn, the above-mentioned flag F1-1 is set to inhibit processing. is executed, the initial state is returned to F2-0, and the main program (a) is resumed.
(steps 214-219).

In other words, in this interrupt process, if the return switch 8a continues to be pressed for more than T seconds, which is the set time, the valve will be kept in the shutoff state even if it is determined that there is no abnormality as a result of the flow being exhausted. , the inhibiting means is canceled by turning off the return switch 8a.

The timer setting time T is the return pulse from the CPU II after pressing the abnormality detection delay return switch 8a.
-1" output delay time, etc., it is set to the minimum necessary time to perform one cycle of shutoff-return-re-shutoff as shown in Figure 4, and in practice it is set to about 30 seconds. It is preferable to do so.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail through the embodiments, in the gas cutoff valve control device according to the present invention, when the manual return switch is held down in an abnormal state, the output of the return pulse is stopped and the cutoff is stopped. Gas meters and their flow path systems equipped with this type of mechanism have the advantage of preventing self-injury due to negligence, malice, or mischief, as well as preventing excessive consumption of the built-in battery. safety.

Durability can be further improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a gas meter with a built-in shutoff valve according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the CPU, Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the control method, Fig. 4 is a time chart of the same, and Fig. 5 This figure is a flow chart showing a conventional control method, and FIG. 6 is a conventional time chart for repeating recovery and cut-off operations in the event of an abnormality. 1...Meter housing 2...Measuring part 4...Valve body 5...Self-holding bidirectional solenoid 7...Sensor 8...Manual return switch 11...CPU (prohibition means) Fig. 1 Agent: Patent Attorney Hide Miyoshi Japanese drawing engraving, Figure 2 I! Engraving of page 1 (a) Figure (b) Engraving of the drawings Figure 3 (al) Engraving of the drawings Figure 4 Engraving of the drawings i? Document procedure amendment form of the drawings) 6. Drawings subject to amendment

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A valve body that opens and closes the gas flow path, a self-holding bidirectional solenoid that drives the valve body to open and close, a means for detecting an abnormality in the gas flow path, and an abnormality detected by receiving the detection output from the abnormality detection means. a discriminating means for determining the presence or absence of a situation, a manual return switch for opening the flow path, and outputting a cutoff pulse to the solenoid when an abnormal situation occurs, and a return pulse to the solenoid by inputting the manual return switch. In a control device for a gas cutoff valve equipped with a solenoid control means for outputting an output, the input time of the manual return switch is detected in the event of an abnormality, and if the input time exceeds the determination reference time, the manual return switch is activated. A control device for a gas cutoff valve, comprising a prohibition means for prohibiting input.