JPH05247982A - Water supply controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent erroneous sensing, and to improve the accuracy of sensing by conducting transmission modulated on the basis of discrimination information peculiar to a reflection sensor when a reflection signal with transmission from a floodlighting means is obtained. CONSTITUTION:A reflection type sensor 2, in which pulse transmission is conducted at every regular interval from a floodlighting means 4, the reflection signals of pulse transmission are detected by a light-receiving means 5 and a user 10, etc., are sensed, is provided. When a flood-signal changeover means 44 is mounted to the floodlighting means 4 and the detecting output of the reflection signal with transmission is acquired, transmission modulated on the basis of discrimination information peculiar to the reflection sensor 2 is performed. The reflected light of the modulated transmission is detected, and the acquisition of the detecting output of the reflection signal corresponding to a transmitted signal is decided in a decision means 7. Accordingly, erroneous sensing due to disturbance light and floodlighting from other reflection type sensors can be prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water supply control device using an intermittent projection type reflection sensor, and more particularly to an improvement of the water supply control device with improved sensing accuracy.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A device for detecting a user of a flushing device such as a urinal by using a reflection type sensor of intermittent light projection type and automatically supplying water for washing on the basis of the detected output is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 62-62. -156
It is known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 446, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-157332, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-157333, and the like.

The water supply control device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-156446 performs pulse light projection at predetermined intervals.
For example, when the reflected light is obtained three times in a row, it is determined that the user exists. However, since the configuration is such that only reflected light is detected, ambient light may be erroneously sensed.

Therefore, the present applicant has filed Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-15733.
In JP 2 and JP-A 2-157333, when a reflected light detection output is obtained, a plurality of times of auxiliary light projection is performed, and when a predetermined number of times of light reception is obtained for the number of times of auxiliary light projection. It proposes a configuration to judge that there is a user.

[0005]

However, although it is possible to prevent erroneous sensing due to unity ambient light by increasing the number of pulsed light projections, radiation from a fluorescent lamp that is dimming-driven by an inverter is used. The effect is small for the periodic noise light that is generated.

Further, the light projecting means and the light receiving means are arranged so that the directivity direction thereof is downward from the horizontal direction so as not to detect the opposing wall or the like. However, as shown in FIG. , 102 facing each other, the light projected from one reflective sensor 101 may be reflected on the floor surface and received by the other reflective sensor 102 and may be erroneously sensed.

Similarly, in a toilet having a plurality of reflection type sensors arranged in parallel, the light diffusely reflected by the user may be received by an adjacent sensor and may be erroneously sensed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a water supply control device in which erroneous detection due to ambient light and a light projection signal from another sensor is prevented and the detection accuracy is improved. To do.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the water supply control device according to the present invention is based on the identification information unique to the reflection type sensor when the reflection signal detection output accompanying the previous transmission is obtained. The transmission signal switching means for performing modulated transmission and the determination means for determining that the reflected signal detection output corresponding to the transmitted signal is obtained and outputting the sensing signal are provided.

[0010]

In the water supply control device according to the present invention, when the reflected light due to the pulsed light is detected, the next light is projected based on the identification information unique to the reflective sensor. When there is no user, pulsed light emission with a short light emission time is performed.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a water supply control device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing the operation of each part of the reflection type sensor.

The water supply control device 1 comprises a reflection type sensor 2 for detecting a user such as a urinal, which is an object of detection, and a water supply control section 3 for controlling water supply based on a signal from the reflection type sensor 2.

The reflection type sensor 2 includes a light projecting means 4, a light receiving means 5, an identification information setting means 6, a judging means 7, and a setting unit.
A reset type flip-flop (hereinafter referred to as SR flip-flop) 8 and an AND circuit 9. In addition, 10 shows a user.

The light projecting means 4 generates an intermittent light projecting timer 41 which determines an intermittent light projecting period, and a light projecting command signal 42a based on the intermittent light projecting timing signal 41a output from the intermittent light projecting timer 41. An identification code signal for generating an identification code command signal 43a based on the pulse signal generation circuit 42, the intermittent light emission timing signal 41a output from the intermittent light emission timer 41, and the identification information signal 6a from the identification information setting means 6 described later. The light emitting signal switching means 44 for switching between the pulse light emitting command signal 42a and the identification code command signal 43a based on the Q output of the generation circuit 43 and the SR flip-flop 8.
With a crystal oscillator or ceramic oscillator
It comprises a carrier clock generation circuit 45 for generating a carrier clock signal 45a near z, an AND circuit 46, and a light projecting circuit 47 for generating a light projecting signal.

The identification code signal generation circuit 43 uses pulse position modulation (PPM) to keep the pulse width constant and change the pulse interval based on the identification information signal 6a from the identification information setting means 6 to intermittently project the light. It is sent out as the identification code command signal 43a at the cycle determined by.

Based on the Q output of the SR flip-flop 8, the light emitting signal switching means 44 outputs the pulse light emitting command signal 42a when it is not detected (L level) and the identification code command signal when it is detected (H level). 43a is selected. The selected signal 44a is supplied to one input terminal of the AND circuit 46 and the comparison reference signal input terminal 7a of the judging means 7.

The carrier clock signal 45a is supplied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 46, and the clock signal 46a modulated by the carrier clock is supplied to the light projecting circuit 47.

The light projecting circuit 47 includes a light projecting element 471 such as an infrared light emitting diode and an npn transistor 472.
And the emitter resistor 473, and as described above, the light projecting element 471 is driven with a constant current based on the clock signal 46a to generate a light projecting signal. Note that VB indicates a power source.

The light receiving means 5 is a light receiving element 51 such as a PIN photodiode or a phototransistor for receiving the reflected light from the user 6, a first stage amplifier 52, and a limiter circuit 53.
, Band pass filter (BPF) 54, and detection circuit 55
And a waveform shaping circuit 56 are combined in a conventionally known configuration.

The limiter circuit 53 limits the output converted and amplified by the first-stage amplifier 52 so that the signal levels become equal, and then the signal of the carrier frequency component is passed through a band pass filter (B
PF) 54, and after detection and demodulation by the detection circuit 55,
The light receiving signal 5a having a predetermined logic level is output via the waveform shaping circuit 56.

The identification information setting means 6 is, for example, a digital
A switch is used to output an arbitrary identification information signal 6a to the identification code signal generation circuit 43 from 16 types of code information consisting of 4-bit data.

The judging means 7 is a comparison reference signal input terminal 7a.
44a applied to the mode signal input terminal 7b, the light projecting signal switching signal 8a output from the output terminal Q of the SR flip-flop 8 applied to the mode signal input terminal 7b, and the light receiving signal applied to the light receiving signal input terminal 7c. Compare with 5a.

In the judging means 7, the received light receiving signal 5a is synchronized with the signal 44a corresponding to the light emitting signal and the pulse widths of the light receiving signals are substantially equal, but the light emitting signal switching signal 8a is L.
At the level (single shot pulse mode), the H level coincidence signal 7d is output to the set input S of the SR flip-flop 8. In the judging means 7, the received light receiving signal 5a is synchronized with the signal 44a corresponding to the light emitting signal, the pulse widths of the light receiving signals are substantially equal, and the light emitting signal switching signal 8a is H.
In the level (identification code mode), the H level coincidence signal 7e is output. Otherwise, the mismatch output (non-sensing output) 7f (FIG. 2f) is synchronized with the fall of the light projection signal.
Output).

Set input S of SR flip-flop 8
Is supplied with a coincidence output 7e, and the reset input terminal R is supplied with a disagreement output (non-sensing output) 7d.
From the time when the reflected light from 0 is detected until the user 10 is no longer sensed, the H-level projection signal switching signal 8a is output from the output terminal Q to the AND circuit 9 and the projection signal switching means 44. is doing.

The light emitting signal switching signal 8a is supplied to one input terminal of the AND circuit 9, and the coincidence output 7e is supplied to the other input terminal. When both input terminals are at H level, the sensing output 7g (see FIG. 2e) is supplied to the water supply control unit 3.

The water supply controller 3 comprises a water supply controller 31 for controlling water supply to a urinal or the like based on the sensed output 7g and the non-sensed output 7f from the sensor 2, and an on-off valve 32.
The on-off valve 32 has one end connected to the water supply pipe 33, and the other end connected to a urinal (not shown) via a washing water supply pipe 34.

The on-off valve 31 is a solenoid valve using a so-called latching solenoid as an actuator, which is pulse-energized at the time of opening and closing and holds the open or closed state by spring force or magnetic force of a permanent magnet otherwise. It consists of. An actuator that uses a piezoelectric element instead of the solenoid valve that uses a latching solenoid is provided, and the valve opening is changed each time an open or close pulse is applied. A valve having a retaining structure may be used.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the operation of the water supply controller. As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the water supply control means 31 determines that the user is present when the sensing output 7g output from the sensing unit 2 continues for a certain period of time, and the non-sensing output 7f keeps the certain period of time. It is configured to judge that there is no user when continuing.

When the water supply control means 31 determines that there is a user, as shown in FIGS. 3D to 3F, first, a valve opening pulse 31a is generated to open the opening / closing valve 32 and a preset minute time elapses. After that, a valve closing pulse 31b is generated to perform pre-wash water supply before use of the urinal in this period.

After that, the water supply control means 31 opens the valve 31 when the judgment changes from the presence of the user to the absence of the user.
After generating a, the opening / closing valve 32 is opened for a predetermined time, and then a valve closing pulse 31b is generated to perform post-cleaning water supply.

With the above configuration, the water supply control device operates as follows. When there is no user 7, the light emission signal switching signal 8a is at the L level, and the light emission signal switching means 44 selects the pulse light emission command signal 42a at the time of non-sensing based on this signal, and the selected intermittent light emission. Light is modulated by the carrier clock every light cycle T.

When the user 7 enters the sensing range of the reflective sensor 2, the reflected light is sensed by the light receiving means 5 and the coincidence signal 7e is output, the set input S of the SR flip-flop 8 is set, The light emission signal switching signal 8a, which is the Q output, becomes H level. As a result, the light emitting signal switching means 44 selects the identification code command signal 43a in the sensed state, so that the identification code signal 43a is output.

When the reflected light based on the identification code signal 43a is sensed by the light receiving means 5 and the H level coincidence signal 7e is output, the AND circuit 9 outputs the sensing output 7g. After that, when the user leaves, the light emission signal switching signal 8a becomes L level and the non-sensing output 7f is output.

[0034]

As described above, the water supply control device according to the present invention has the following effects. When the reflection type sensor detects the reflected light from the pulsed light emission, it modulates the next light emission based on the identification information unique to the reflection type sensor. Therefore, noise having regularity or projection from another reflection type sensor is detected. It is possible to prevent erroneous detection due to an optical signal.

When no user is present, pulsed light emission with a short light emission time is performed, so that power consumption required for light emission can be reduced as compared with a configuration in which identification information is always emitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a water supply control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing the operation of each part of the reflective sensor.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the operation of the water supply control unit.

FIG. 4 is an example of a toilet in which a plurality of reflective sensors are installed facing each other.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Water supply control device, 2 ... Reflection type sensor, 3 ... Water supply control part, 4 ... Light emitting means, 5 ... Light receiving means, 6 ... Identification information setting means, 7 ... Judging means, 8 ... Set / reset type flip-flop ( RS flip-flop), 9 ... AND circuit,
10 ... User, 31 ... Water supply control means, 32 ... Open / close valve, 3
3 ... Water supply pipe, 34 ... Washing water supply pipe, 41 ... Intermittent light emitting timer, 42 ... Light emitting pulse signal generating circuit, 43 ... Identification code signal generating circuit, 44 ... Light emitting signal switching means, 45 ... Carrier clock generating circuit, 46 ... AND circuit, 47 ... Emitter circuit, 51 ... Light receiving element, 52 ... First stage amplifier, 53 ... Limiter circuit, 54 ... Band pass filter (BPF), 55 ... Detection circuit, 56 ... Waveform shaping circuit, 471 ... Emitter Element, 47
2 ... Transistor, 473 ... Emitter resistance.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Miki Ueki 2-1, 1-1 Nakajima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture Totoki Equipment Co., Ltd. (72) Tomohiro Nishi Nishi 2 Nakajima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 1st-1st Totoki Equipment Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water supply control device using a reflection type sensor which transmits a pulse from a transmitting means at a predetermined time interval and detects a reflected signal by the receiving means to detect a user or the like. When the signal detection output is obtained, it is judged that the transmission signal switching means for transmitting the signal modulated based on the identification information peculiar to the reflection type sensor and the reflection signal detection output corresponding to the transmitted signal are obtained. A water supply control device comprising a determination means for outputting a sensing signal.