JPS6086613A - Fluid controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To stop gas supply in case of emergency such as an earthquake, a fire, or the like by transmitting a control signal from a gas industrial establishment to a fluid controller of each home through a communication line to make control of a gas flow rate, gathering of abnormal information, and domestic report of control information possible. CONSTITUTION:When a power source 5 is turned on, the whole of the controller is set to the operation state, and a flow rate signal from a sensor input part 7 and a clock signal from a clock generating part 6 are inputted to a main control part 8 consisting of a microcomputer, and the main control part 8 measures a flow rate of fuel per unit time at intervals of an optional time. Flow rate data as a reference for cut-off or alarm is registered preliminarily in this computer, and measured results are compared with flow rate data. For example, if a measured value exceeds maximum passage quantity data as the result of comparison, cut-off output is sent to a cut-off part 9. Meanwhile, data transmitted from the gas industrial establishment through the communication line is inputted to the main control part 8, and information of the control part 8 is presented into home from an interface part 11 for communication through a connecting part 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fluid control device for controlling the flow rate of fluid such as gas.

Conventional configuration and its problems Fluid control detects gas flow rate and determines abnormalities such as large amounts of gas or continuous flow without change for a long time, preventing gas explosions and accidents caused by toxic gases. There is an apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a flow rate sensor that is interrogated by the gas meter 2 and detects the gas flow rate.The flow rate sensor 1 includes, for example, a diaphragm that constitutes the gas meter 2, or transmits the reciprocating movement of the diaphragm to an indicator. There is a combination of a magnet provided in a part of the link mechanism and a reed switch that detects the position of the magnet. By measuring the time from one turn on of this reed switch to the next turn on, the gas flow rate can be determined. 3 is a control unit; 4 is a self-holding electromagnetic valve that combines a magnet and an electromagnetic coil provided in the gas flow path; the gas flow path is shut off in response to a cutoff signal from the control unit 3; This solenoid valve 4 is self-maintained in an open state by a magnet, thereby reducing battery consumption as a power source for the device.

Further, the shutoff operation is performed when the self-holding state is released as the electromagnetic force generated by passing a current through the electromagnetic coil overcomes the holding force of the magnet that keeps the valve open. Once the circuit is cut off in this way, the holding force of the magnet alone will not cause the circuit to open, and there is no longer a need for current to flow. To open the valve, manually open the valve and place it in the b''L position, which can be held by a magnet.The control unit 3 receives a signal from the flow rate sensor 1, processes this signal according to a predetermined processing procedure, It is determined whether or not to shut off, and if the shutoff conditions are satisfied, a shutoff signal is output to the solenoid valve 4.As a processing procedure, for example, if the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor 1 is It is determined whether the flow exceeds a predetermined 116 times while maintaining a constant value.If it does, it means that the equipment corresponding to that flow rate has been used for longer than the normal usage time. Assuming that the condition indicates some kind of abnormality, a cutoff signal is output.This cutoff signal drives the cutoff means 4, such as a solenoid valve, provided in the gas flow path to cut off the gas flow path. It also has a function to check the voltage of the battery power supply used in the system, and a function to detect small gas leaks that do not pose a risk of gas explosion.

Such conventional devices have the following problems.

■ It has a function to display the content on an indicator such as an LED when determining an abnormality, or it is installed outdoors together with a gas meter, so when an abnormality occurs that does not involve shutting off, for example, a low battery voltage of 1. General users cannot be expected to discover abnormal information such as side leakage, but must rely on gas inspection personnel who visit regularly, which increases meter reading work.

■ In the event of a major earthquake or fire, local
It would be desirable to be able to prevent secondary disasters by immediately stopping the gas supply to all households (including residential units), but no countermeasures have been taken for the fuel supply lines of each household.

(2) Since there is no means to notify the home of information at the time of abnormality determination, the state of this type of control device) sM cannot be immediately known.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional art. A communication line is connected to the control device, and by using this communication line, the gas utility company can send control signals to the fluid control device in each house at any time as necessary, controlling the gas flow rate and collecting abnormality information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluid control device capable of immediately informing a house of information on a control signal sent from a gas utility company.

Composition of the Invention The present invention includes a sensor input section for inputting a flow rate signal, a cutoff section for cutting off a water supply route, and a sensor input section for inputting the flow rate signal from the sensor input section to determine an abnormality and for control from a communication line. The input terminal for manually inputting the signal is ML, and the main side j part consists of a microcon beater that operates in a standby mode that operates intermittently with an interval timer No. 16, and 1.
) It is equipped with a communication interface part that can send out information via a communication line by applying a power supply voltage in synchronization with the output signal of the part J on the oral system side, and also send data into the home. It has a basic configuration.

With this configuration, the communication interface section operates when there is a communication request from the gas utility, and can provide information to the gas utility and also to the user's home.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 denotes a power supply unit consisting of a battery, 6 a clock generation unit that generates a clock serving as a reference for counting 9 centimeters, 7 a sensor input unit into which the signal of the flow rate sensor is input, and 8
9 is a main control section consisting of a microcontroller that is intermittently activated by a standby microcomputer; 9 is a shutoff section consisting of a self-holding electromagnetic valve that shuts off the fuel supply path; A drive unit that operates and supplies power to the communication interface unit 11; 11 is a communication interface unit that sends data from the main control unit to a communication line 13 via a connection unit 12; and 12 is a communication line between the fluid control device 14 and the communication line. 13 is a connection section, 26 is a connection section for sending information into the house, and 27 is a connection line to the house.

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

First, when the power supply unit 5 is turned on, the entire control device becomes operational. The main control unit 8 consists of a microcontroller,
The diversion signal from the sensor input section 7 and the clock signal from the clock generation section 6 are input, and the fuel flow rate per unit time is measured from the number of flow rate signals at arbitrary time intervals. Flow rate data that serves as a reference for shutting off or issuing an alarm is registered in advance in the microconbeater, and the measurement results and the flow rate data are compared. 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 type of gas meter and gas type in each household in the gas supply route. ), or if the elapsed time at the same flow rate exceeds the time specified by that flow rate, it is determined that the gas valve was forgotten to be turned off and shuts off. Flow 1112 data, etc. As a result of the comparison, for example, if the J1 data exceeds 114 people, a disconnection signal is sent to the disconnection section 9. On the other hand, data sent from the gas utility via the communication line is first manually input to the main control section 8. Since the main control section 8 operates intermittently for the flowmeter side, it receives data from the communication line during its operation. If you feel safe sending abnormality information data to the gas utility, the drive unit 10
is operated, and power is supplied to the communication interface section 11. Data from the main control section 8 is transferred to the communication interface section 11 via the signal line 15, and sent from the communication interface section 11 to the communication line 13 via the connection section 12. Furthermore, the communication interface section 11 can provide information from the main control section to the home via the connection section 26 as necessary.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram of the fluid control device 1t shown in FIG. 2, and in FIG. 2, the same numbers as in FIG. 3 indicate the same meaning. 1
6 is a crystal oscillator whose frequency is divided by a counter 17, and for example, a clock that generates a clock pulse of 0.1 seconds/cycle to the input terminal INT of the main controller 8 to periodically put the microconbeater into operation. This is the standard for On the 1st, a reed switch is installed close to the meter so that the magnet responds in response to the gas flow rate, and the transistor 19 responds to the operation of the reed switch 18.

20 is a transistor that turns off the self-holding shutoff valve 21, 22 is a transistor that supplies power to the communication module 24 with a signal from the main control 11 section 8, and 23 is a transistor that is operated by a signal from the communication module 24. ,
Reference numeral 25 denotes a transistor for transmitting the signal of the communication circuit 24 into the house.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the fluid control device of the present invention provides the following effects.

■The communication line can be disconnected from the gas utility to drive the shutoff section of the fluid control device.

■ Information on abnormalities in fluid control equipment (for example, battery voltage drop) can be obtained from the gas utility via communication lines, making meter readers' work more efficient.

■Microcomputer with standby function that operates intermittently using an internal timer Since the activation signal for the communication line is input during the evening RUN, normally the power consumed by the communication interface remains equal to zero. I'll ask about the communication function.

■Since the 1vf signal from the communication line that is input during the shortage period is processed without using the microcomputer's interrupt processing, the simple microcomputer does not have a latch circuit for suspending interrupt signals, an interrupt address generation circuit, etc. Communication functions can be added with .

- The user can be immediately notified when the shut-off section is activated under control from the gas utility in an emergency, or when an abnormality is determined from the flow operator and the shut-off section is activated. It will also be possible to send gas usage data to the home upon instructions from the gas utility.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional fluid control device, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a fluid control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the fluid control device of FIG. 7...Sensor input section, 8...Main control section,
9... Cutoff section, 10... Drive section, 11...
...Communication interface section, 26...
Connection part. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person
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Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A sensor input section that inputs a gas flow rate signal, a cutoff section that shuts off the fuel supply path, and a flow rate signal from the sensor input section that inputs the flow rate signal to determine an abnormality and a control signal from an external communication line. a main control unit consisting of a microcomputer that has an input terminal for inputting information and operates intermittently in standby mode using an interval timer; a communication interface unit that sends information from the main control unit to the communication line; A fluid control device comprising: a drive section that operates based on a signal from a control section and supplies power to the communication interface section. (2) A sensor input section that inputs a gas flow rate signal, a cutoff section that shuts off the fuel supply path, and a flow rate signal from the sensor input section that inputs the flow rate signal to determine an abnormality and a control signal from an external communication line. a main control section consisting of a microcomputer that has an input terminal for inputting the information and operates intermittently in standby mode using an interval timer, and a communication interface section that sends information from the main control section to the communication line; 1. A fluid flil unit comprising: a drive section that operates in response to a signal from the main control section and supplies power to the communication interface section; the communication interface section is provided with a connection section for notifying a home of an abnormality.