JPH073285Y2 - Horizontal detection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a horizontal detection device used in devices such as electronic scales and the like that are required to be installed in a horizontal state, appliances, and the like.

(Prior Art) Some electronic balances, other devices, instruments, etc. are desirably installed horizontally for the purpose of obtaining good measurement results, for example.

For the purpose of detecting the horizontal posture of this type of device, instrument, etc., for example, a long and thin transparent tube body is provided with air bubbles to enclose a liquid (for example, water), and for identifying the horizontal state at the center of the tube body. A bubble-filled tube provided with the mark is generally used, but in recent years, a device for electrically detecting and displaying such a horizontal posture has been considered.

For example, according to Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 59-56514, a container having a ceiling surface formed so that its central portion is high is provided with four electrodes for indicating a direction in the central portion of the inner surface of the ceiling surface. In the direction
A configuration is shown in which a common electrode is provided on the inner surface of the bottom surface of the container at intervals of 90 degrees, and a conductive liquid metal is sealed in a state where bubbles are mixed so as to be constantly connected to this electrode. ing.

According to this, when the container is in the horizontal posture, the bubbles are located near the center of the ceiling surface of the container,
For example, due to bubbles, the electrical connection between each direction indicating electrode and the common electrode on the bottom surface is cut off, and the lamps provided corresponding to the above direction indicating electrodes are all turned off to indicate the horizontal state. , When the container is tilted from the horizontal state and the bubbles are moved from the central position, the direction indicating electrode opposite to the moving direction is immersed in the conductive liquid metal,
Since the corresponding lamp is lit, the tilt direction will be indicated.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional technique described in the above publication, the following problems may occur. That is, the lamps for direction indication are connected in parallel between the electrodes for direction indication and the common electrode on the bottom, but in this case, if the wiring is broken, the container Since the lamp does not light up even if is tilted, it cannot be distinguished from the horizontal state, and there is a risk of erroneously determining that it is in the horizontal state although it is tilted from the horizontal state.

Further, the ceiling surface of the container must be curved, and since a special material such as a conductive liquid metal is used, the manufacturing cost becomes high.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to realize a low-cost and highly reliable horizontal detection device by utilizing a bubble-filled tube that has been used conventionally.

(Means for Solving the Problem) That is, the horizontal detection device according to the present invention is characterized in that when a bubble is provided in an elongated transparent tube body to enclose a fluid and the tube body is in a horizontal posture along the longitudinal direction, Two bubble-filling tubes configured so that bubbles are located at the center of the tube body are used, and these are fixed on the substrate in a state where their longitudinal directions are orthogonal to each other, and both of the above-mentioned bubble-filling tubes are provided. A pair of switch means which are turned on and off when the bubbles in the central position move in opposite directions along the longitudinal direction, and four first light emitters corresponding to these switch means, respectively. ON when the first light emitters are all OFF
And a signal from each of the above switch means is input, and an ON signal is output to the corresponding first light emitter when the bubbles in both bubble sealing tubes move in the longitudinal direction from the central position. And a control circuit that outputs an ON signal to the second light emitter when the bubbles in both bubble enclosing tubes are both in the center position.

(Operation) According to the above configuration, when both of the two bubble sealing tubes are in the horizontal posture, the bubbles in both of the bubble sealing tubes are located at the central position, so that the control circuit causes the second light emitter to move. Since the ON signal is output, the horizontal state can be easily detected. On the other hand, when the bubble is moved from the central position due to the inclination of the bubble sealing tube from the horizontal position, the movement is detected by the signal from the switch means, so that the control circuit determines the specific direction corresponding to the moving direction of the bubble. The ON signal is output to the first light emitter, and the OFF signal is output to the second light emitter. Therefore, when the first light emitter is in the ON state and emits light, the direction of inclination is easily indicated.

In particular, according to the above configuration, since either the first light emitter or the second light emitter emits light,
When both the first and second light emitters are turned on,
When it is turned off, it is determined that the circuit has a problem such as disconnection, and high reliability is obtained. Further, since the well-known bubble-filled tube which has been used conventionally is used, the manufacturing cost can be kept low.

(Example) Hereinafter, the Example of this invention is described.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electronic scale, in which a support leg 3 ... A weighing pan 5 is fixed to the rod 4 protruding above the main body 2. Further, on the front surface of the balance main body 2, a display 6 for displaying a measurement result and the like, a keyboard 7 for inputting various commands and the like are provided.

On the other hand, the horizontal detector 10 according to the present invention is basically composed of a horizontal detector 11, a controller 12, and a display 13, as shown in FIG. Among the horizontal detecting unit 11, the first and bubble inclusion pipe 14 ₁ which is an elongated transparent tube body 12 provided with a bubble 13 filled with liquid, a second encapsulating liquid likewise elongated transparent tube body 12 is provided a bubble 13 and a bubble sealed tube 14 _2. These first and second bubble enclosing pipes 14 ₁ and 14 ₂ have the above-mentioned bubbles 13 and 13 when the pipe bodies 12 and 12 are in a horizontal posture along the longitudinal direction.
Are located at the centers of the tube bodies 12, 12 and are fixed on the substrate 15 with their longitudinal directions orthogonal to each other. In addition,
The liquid sealed in the transparent tube bodies 12, 12 has a refractive index larger than that of the gas forming the bubbles 13, 13.

Then, on one side of each of the first and second bubble enclosing tubes 14 ₁ and 14 ₂ on the end side of each of the tube bodies 12 and 12, the first to the first detecting the light
Fourth phototransistors 16 _{1 to} 16 ₄ are respectively arranged, and light emitting diodes for supplying light to the phototransistors 16 _{1 to} 16 ₄ are provided on the other side of the tube bodies 12 and 12.
17 ... 17 are arranged respectively.

On the other hand, in the display unit 13, the first to fourth light emitting diodes 18 ₁ to 18 4 respectively corresponding to the first to _fourth phototransistors 16 _{1 to} 16 ₄ are arranged at the center of the fifth light emitting diode 18 ₁ to 18 _4.
With 19 as a reference, they are arranged vertically and horizontally. Here, in the first and second phototransistors 16 ₁ and 16 ₂ in the horizontal detection unit 11 arranged in the horizontal direction in the drawing, the first and second phototransistors 16 ₁ and 16 ₂ in the display unit 13 arranged in the horizontal direction in the drawing are also shown.
The second light emitting diodes 18 ₁ and 18 ₂ respectively correspond to the third and fourth phototransistors 16 ₃ and 16 ₄ which are also arranged in the vertical direction, and the third and fourth phototransistors 16 ₃ and 16 ₄ are also arranged in the vertical direction. It corresponds to the light emitting diodes 18 ₃ and 18 ₄ , respectively.

The horizontal detecting unit 11 is the scale main body 2 shown in FIG.
The first bubble enclosing tube 14 ₁ is fixed to the inner surface of the bottom of the above so that the first bubble enclosing tube 14 ₁ is located in the horizontal direction in the horizontal plane and the second bubble enclosing tube 14 ₂ is also located in the front-rear direction in the horizontal plane. On the other hand, in the display unit 13, the first and second light emitting diodes 18 ₁ and 18 ₂ are arranged in the horizontal direction on the lower one side of the front surface of the main body 2, and the third and fourth light emitting diodes 18 ₃ and 18 ₃ . 18
It is attached with ₄ arranged vertically.

Next, the electric circuit of the device 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

That is, each light emitting diode in the horizontal detector 11
The anode side of 17 ... 17 is connected to the + 12V power source in parallel with each other, and the cathode side has a resistor 20 ...
Grounded through 20. The collector sides of the _first to fourth phototransistors 16 _{1 to} 16 ₄ are also connected to the + 12V power source in parallel with each other.

On the other hand, the control unit 12 is composed of first and second units 12 ₁ and 12 ₂ having symmetrical circuit configurations. That is, the first unit 12 _1, the contact piece is provided with a variable resistor 21 which is grounded, two pair of resistors to both ends of the variable resistor 21 22, 24, 32
The two ends are connected to each other. And both resistors 2
On the other end side of 2, 22, the above-mentioned first and second phototransistors
The emitter sides of 16 ₁ and 16 ₂ are connected, and one end of the input resistor 24 is connected to the inverting input terminal of the first operational amplifier 23 ₁ before the resistor 22 on the _first phototransistor 16 ₁ side. Side is connected, and also the second phototransistor
In front of the resistor 22 on the 16 ₂ side, similarly, an input resistor 25 whose one end side is connected to the non-inverting input terminal of the first operational amplifier 23 ₁ is similarly provided.
The other end side of is connected. The above first operational amplifier
The non-inverting input terminal of 23 ₁ is grounded via the resistor 26, and the resistor 27 is interposed between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal. The output terminal of the first operational amplifier 23 ₁ is connected to the inverting input terminal of the second operational amplifier 23 _{2 by} a resistor 28
Connected through. In addition, this second operational amplifier 23
The non-inverting input terminal of ₂ is grounded, and a resistor 29 and a variable resistor are placed between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal.
30 are inserted in series.

That is, the inverting input terminal and the non-inverting input terminal of the first operational amplifier 23 ₁ are connected to the first and second
Voltages corresponding to the collector currents of the second phototransistors 16 ₁ and 16 ₂ are input, and the difference is differentially amplified by the first operational amplifier 23 ₁ and input to the inverting input terminal of the second operational amplifier 23 _2. After that, it is further amplified and taken out from the output terminal of the second operational amplifier 23 ₂ as the output voltage V ₁ .

Then, the second operational amplifier 2 in the first unit 12 ₁
3 ₂ output terminals, a second control transistor of the first control transistor 31 ₁ and a PNP NPN type provided on the display unit 13
31 to each base of ₂ are connected via resistors 32 and 33. The collector side of the first control transistor 31 ₁ is
The light emitting diode section in the first photocoupler 34 ₁ ,
+ 12V via the first light emitting diode 18 ₁ and the resistor 35
The second control transistor 31 connected to the power supply
₂ on the collector side is similarly light emitting diode of the second photocoupler 34 _2, the second light emitting diode 18 ₂ and the resistor 36
Connected to a -12V power supply via. On the other hand, the emitter sides of the first and second control transistors 31 ₁ and 31 ₂ are grounded in common. The collector side of the phototransistor section of the first and second photocouplers 34 ₁ and 34 ₂ is
They are connected to a + 12V power source through resistors 37 and 38, respectively, and the emitter side is grounded in common.

On the other hand, the second unit in the control unit 12 12 ₂ also, the first
A third operational amplifier 23 ₃ carried out in the same manner as in the differential amplifier and the first operational amplifier 23 _first unit 12 _1, the fourth operational amplifier 23 ₄ for amplifying a signal outputted from the output terminal of the third operational amplifier 23 ₃
Together with the door, the emitter of the third phototransistor 16 ₃ in the horizontal detector 11 is connected to the inverting input terminal side of the third operational amplifier 23 _3, also the amplifiers 23 ₃
The fourth phototransistor 16 ₄ is connected to the non-inverting input terminal side of
The emitter side of is connected. Even in this case,
The third and fourth phototransistors 16 ₃ and 16 ₃ are connected to the inverting input terminal and the non-inverting input terminal of the third operational amplifier 23 3, respectively.
A voltage corresponding to each collector current of ₄ is input, and the difference is differentially amplified by the third operational amplifier 23 ₃ and the fourth
After being input to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 23 ₄ , it is further amplified and output from the output terminal of the fourth operational amplifier 23 ₄ as the output voltage V ₂ . Then, the output terminal of the fourth operational amplifier 23 _4, provided on the display section 13 N
The bases of the PN-type third control transistor 31 ₃ and the PNP-type fourth control transistor 31 ₄ are connected via resistors 39 and 40, respectively. The third control transistor 31
Collector of _3, light emitting diode in the third photo coupler 34 _3, along with being connected to the third through the light emitting diode 18 ₃ and the resistor 41 + 12V power supply, the fourth
Similarly, the collector side of the control transistor 31 ₄ is connected to the −12V power source through the light emitting diode section of the fourth photocoupler 34 ₄ , the fourth light emitting diode 18 ₄ and the resistor 42. On the other hand, these third and fourth control transistors 31 ₃ and 31 ₄
The emitter side of is also grounded in common. The collector side of the phototransistor section of the third and fourth photocouplers 34 ₃ and 34 ₄ is + 12V via resistors 43 and 44, respectively.
It is connected to the power supply and the emitter side is grounded in common.

In the above display unit 13 is provided with a fifth control transistor 31 ₅ of PNP type which controls the light emitting state of the fifth light-emitting diode 19, the emitter side is grounded in the fifth control transistor 31 _5, the the collector of the transistor 31 ₅ is connected to the + 12V supply via a fifth light emitting diode 19 and a resistor 45. And this fifth control transistor
31 on the base side of the _5, the output terminal of the NAND element 46 is connected via a resistor 47. On the other hand, the input side of the NAND element 46 is connected to the collector side of the phototransistor section in each of the _first to fourth photocouplers 34 _{1 to} 34 ₄ .

In the horizontal detection device 10 as described above, for example, when the tube body 12 of the first bubble enclosing tube 14 ₁ is inclined in the longitudinal direction, the bubbles 13 in the bubble enclosing tube 14 ₁ extend from the central position of the tube body 12 along the inclining direction. To move. In this case, if the bubble 13 moves toward the first phototransistor 16 ₁ ,
Since the relative refractive index of the gas and the liquid forming the bubble 13 is large, the light passing through the liquid as the bubble 13 moves is
The amount of reflection at the interface with 13 becomes large, so the first
The amount of light incident on the phototransistor 16 ₁ decreases, and the collector current gradually decreases. When the collector current of the first phototransistor 16 ₁ decreases in this way, the input voltage to the inverting input terminal of the first operational amplifier 23 ₁ in the first unit 12 ₁ of the control unit 12 decreases, so the second operational amplifier 23 ₂
Output voltage V ₁ of the first control transistor 31 ₁ in the display unit 13 decreases, and the base-emitter voltage of the second control transistor 31 ₂ decreases.
The voltage between the emitters will rise. Then, when the base-emitter voltage of the first control transistor 31 ₁ becomes lower than the threshold voltage, a large amount of collector current flows due to the transistor 31 ₁ rising, and the first light emitting diode 18 ₁ emits light. The transistor portion of the photocoupler 34 ₁ is turned on, and the line voltage to the NAND element 46 becomes “L” level. The line voltage is at "H" level, which is higher than the "L" level, when the transistor section is OFF.

On the other hand, when the first bubble inclusion pipe 14 ₁ is inclined in the opposite direction,
The amount of light received by the second phototransistor 16 ₂ decreases, the output voltage V ₁ of the second operational amplifier 23 ₂ in the first unit 12 ₁ rises in the process reverse to the above, and the second light emitting diode 18 ₂ emits light. , The line voltage from the second photo coupler 34 ₂ to the NAND element 46 becomes “L” level.

In contrast, when the first bubble inclusion pipe 14 ₁ is in a horizontal posture, because the bubble 13 is positioned at the center of the tube body 12,
Almost the same amount of light is emitted from the first and second phototransistors 16 ₁ and 16 ₂
Will be incident on, therefore the second output voltage V ₁ of the operational amplifier 23 ₂ is in the first unit 12 _1, approximately halfway of the first and second control transistors 31 _1, 31 ₂ of the threshold voltage of the display unit 13 Becomes a value of, and these first and second control transistors 31 ₁ and 31 ₂ are maintained in the cutoff state. This allows
Both the first and second light emitting diodes 18 ₁ and 18 ₂ are maintained in the OFF state, and the line voltage from the _first and second photocouplers 34 ₁ and 34 ₂ to the NAND element 46 is also at the “L” level. Will be maintained. That is, the first and second phototransistors 16 ₁ and 16 ₂ in the horizontal detector 11 function as switches.

Further, even when the horizontal detecting unit second bubble enclosing tube 14 ₂ in 11 is tilted from the horizontal position, the third of the display unit 13, the fourth light emitting diode 18 _3, 18 ₄ is also selected in the same process As a result, the line voltage from the _third and fourth photocouplers 34 ₃ and 34 ₄ input to the NAND element 46 is raised to the “H” level. On the other hand, in the horizontal posture, both the third and fourth light emitting diodes 18 ₃ and 18 ₄ are maintained in the OFF state, and the NAND element
The line voltage to 46 is also maintained at "L" level. In this case also, the third and fourth phototransistors 16 ₃ and 16 ₄ function as switches.

When both the first and second bubble sealing tubes 14 ₁ and 14 ₂ are in the horizontal posture, the input voltage to the NAND element 46 is all at the “H” level, so the output voltage from the NAND element 46 is "L" is reduced to the level, thereby fifth control transistor 31 ₅ is operated oN connected to the output side, thereby emitting a fifth light emitting diode 19. That is, the fifth light emitting diode 19
Emits light only when all of the _first to fourth light emitting diodes 18 ₁ and 18 ₄ are OFF.

Therefore, when the electronic scale 1 shown in FIG. 1 is installed in a predetermined horizontal posture, the fifth light emitting diode 19 located at the center of the display unit 13 mounted on the front surface of the scale body 2 always emits light. Therefore, the normal installation state can be easily confirmed, and when the electronic scale 1 is installed in a state of rising to the left, for example, the above-mentioned fifth
First light emitting diode located to the left of the light emitting diode 19
This means that 18 ₁ emits light and the fifth light emitting diode 19 is extinguished. Therefore, the inclination direction of the electronic scale 1 can be easily determined, and the adjustment to the horizontal posture becomes easy.

Particularly, according to the above configuration, the first to fourth light emitting diodes are provided.
Since either 18 ₁ to 18 ₄ or the fifth light emitting diode 19 always emits light, the first to fourth light emitting diodes
A state in which a part or all of 18 and the fifth light emitting diode 19 both emit light, or the first to fifth light emitting diodes 18 ₁ to 1
8 _4, 19 or the like state is quenched all, would be determined that the defect such as disconnection has occurred in the circuit, to determine incorrectly in a horizontal position to have inclined from the horizontal state Can be prevented.

(Advantages of the Invention) As described above, according to the horizontal detection device of the present invention, the second light emitter emits light when the two bubble-filled tubes arranged orthogonal to each other are both in the horizontal posture, so that the horizontal state is detected. Can be done easily. On the other hand, when the bubble-filled tube is tilted from the horizontal posture, the first light emitters corresponding to the tilting direction emit light, so that the horizontal posture can be easily adjusted.

In particular, according to the above configuration, either the first light emitter or the second light emitter selectively emits light, so that both the first light emitter and the second light emitter emit light, and When the light emitter is off, it will be judged that there is a problem such as disconnection in the circuit, and it is possible to prevent accidentally judging that it is in the horizontal posture even though it is in the inclined posture,
High reliability can be obtained. Further, since the well-known bubble-filled tube which has been used conventionally is used, there is an advantage that the manufacturing cost can be suppressed low.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an electronic scale using a horizontal detecting device according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the device, and FIG. 3 is an electric circuit diagram of the device. 12 ...... transparent tube body, 13 ...... bubbles, 14 _1, 14 ₂ ...... bubble inclusion tube (14 ₁ ...... first bubble inclusion tube, 14 ₂ ...... second bubble enclosing tube), 15 ...... substrate, 16 _{1 to} 16 ₄ …… Switch means (16 ₁ …
... 1st phototransistor, 16 ₂ ... 2nd phototransistor, 16 ₃ ... 3rd phototransistor, 16 ₄ ... 4th
Phototransistor), 18 _{1-18 4} ...... first light emitter (18 ₁
...... First light emitting diode, 18 ₂ ...... Second light emitting diode, 18 ₃ ...... Third light emitting diode, 18 ₄ ...... Fourth light emitting diode), 19 ...... Second light emitting device (fifth light emitting diode),
12 ... Control circuit (control section).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An elongated transparent tube body is provided with bubbles to enclose a fluid, and the bubbles are located at the center of the tube body when the tube body is in a horizontal posture along the longitudinal direction. Individual bubble encapsulation tubes are used, which are fixed on the substrate in a state where their longitudinal directions are orthogonal to each other, and the air bubbles in both of the bubble encapsulation tubes are opposite to each other from the central position along the longitudinal direction. ON-OFF when moving
Each pair of switch means, four first light emitters respectively corresponding to these switch means, a second light emitter which is turned on when all of these first light emitters are off, and each switch means described above. Signal from each of the above-mentioned bubble sealing tubes, and when the bubbles in both bubble sealing tubes move in the longitudinal direction from the central position, an ON signal is output to the corresponding first light emitter, and the bubbles in both bubble sealing tubes are both in the central position. And a control circuit that outputs an ON signal to the second light emitter when the horizontal detection device is in position 2.