JPS6140608Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a grounding device that releases static electricity charged on a grounded object such as a tank truck to the ground.

When loading or unloading hazardous materials such as petroleum fuel or liquefied fuel onto a tank truck, if the tank truck is charged, there is a risk of ignition or explosion due to electrical discharge. Therefore, tank trucks are grounded to load and unload dangerous materials, but incomplete grounding may cause a disaster, so the tank truck is securely connected to the ground to the grounding device. It is necessary to provide a device that can confirm that

Conventional grounding devices are equipped with an electrical confirmation device consisting of a limit switch that confirms that the connector connected to the ground is connected to the grounded object, and a transmitter that is connected to the limit switch and outputs a confirmation signal. was. However, since it is an electrical confirmation device, there is a risk of erroneous confirmation due to electromagnetic induction noise or disasters due to electrical leakage, short circuits, etc.

The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and provide a small and lightweight earthing device that can reliably confirm ground contact without causing false confirmation or disaster.

According to this invention, the above objects are: a conductive connector that fits into a protrusion attached to a grounded object to ground the grounded object; an optical fiber with one end attached to the connector; a photoelectric conversion device connected to the other end of the optical fiber and having a function of transmitting light to one end of the optical fiber and detecting light returned from the other end; This is achieved by providing a confirmation device comprising a return mechanism having a right-angle output type beam bundler that returns the light sent to one end of the optical fiber to the photoelectric conversion device by the optical fiber when the light is combined.

Examples of this invention will be described below based on the drawings. Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of a grounding device that is an embodiment of this invention, and Figure 2 is a diagram of the connector shown in Figure 1.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the return mechanism portion, and is a configuration diagram of the confirmation device in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, a connection plate 2 is attached to a tank lorry vehicle 1, which is a grounded object, and a cylindrical projection 3 is provided on the connection plate 2. The connector 4 is connected to the ground 6 by a flexible ground wire 5,
The protrusion 3 is fitted into the hole 7 formed in a concave shape, and the tank lorry vehicle 1 is grounded. Inside the connector 4, a space 8 is provided at a position axially away from the hole 7, as shown in FIG.
is formed. An optical fiber 9 is placed within this space 8.
A right-angle output type beam bundler 17 attached to one end of the optical fiber 10 and a right-angle output type beam bundler 18 attached to the optical fiber 10 are fixedly arranged to face each other. A photoelectric conversion device 11 placed separately in a safe location is connected to the other ends of the optical fibers 9 and 10. The photoelectric conversion device 11 includes a light emitting diode 20 as shown in FIG.
When the photodiode 21 receives the light from the light emitting diode through the optical fibers 9 and 10, it is processed and sent to the relay 12.
and a processing circuit 13 that operates the . Here, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 20 reaches from one end of the optical fiber 9 to the other end. Then, the light reaches from one end of the optical fiber 10 to the other end and is sent to the photodiode 21 by a return mechanism to be described later.

Next, to explain the above-mentioned return mechanism, a through hole 19 coaxial with the hole 7 is provided between the hole 7 of the connector 4 and the space 8, and a rod 25 is loosely fitted into this through hole 19. . The rod 25 is normally biased toward the hole 7 by the compression spring 26,
One end protrudes inside. A shielding plate 15 provided with a slit 14 is attached to the other end of the rod 25 protruding into the space 8 . Further, within the space 8, a right-angle output type beam bundler 17 and a right-angle output type beam bundler 18 are installed in parallel so as to form an optical path. This right-angle output type beam bundler can use a right-angle output type collimator manufactured by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. As shown in FIG. 23 are arranged. The light from the optical fiber 22 is transmitted to the mirror 23.
The optical path is changed to a right angle by . Therefore,
The right angle output type beam bundlers 17 and 18 are mounted in parallel so that their respective mirrors face each other with the shielding plate 15 in between. This right angle output type beam bundler 17, 18
A shielding plate 15 placed between the two normally shields the optical path. When the hole 7 of the connector 4 is fitted into the projection 3 and the tank truck 1 is grounded, the rod 25 is pushed by the projection 3 and moves toward the space 8 overcoming the spring pressure of the compression spring 26. Simultaneously with this movement, the shielding plate 15 also moves, and the position of the slit 14 comes to the optical path between the right-angle output type beam bundler 17 and 18, so that the light beam sent by the optical fiber 9 and exiting from the right-angle output type beam bundler 17 is moved. Light enters the right-angle beam bundler 18 and is transmitted back to the other end of the optical fiber 10. The returned light is converted into an electrical signal by the photodiode 21 and enters the processing circuit 13. Processing circuit 1
3 activates the relay 12, which causes the computer 16 to instruct the dangerous goods handling equipment to load or unload the dangerous goods.

In the grounding device of the embodiments described above, grounding can be confirmed by connecting the connector and a photoelectric conversion device installed at a location distant from the connector using an optical fiber. Moreover, since optical fibers are not affected by electromagnetic induction noise, there is no possibility of false confirmation, and there is no risk of disasters due to leakage or short circuits.

Next, in addition to the method of transmitting light using two optical fibers, one for transmitting light and the other for returning light, as described above, there is a method of transmitting and returning light using one optical fiber. The return mechanism in this case may have the structure shown in FIG.
That is, the right-angle output type beam bundler 37 is attached to one end of the optical fiber 39 within the space 38 of the connector 34. A reflecting mirror 40 is provided on the inner wall of the connector 34 facing the mirror of the right-angle beam bundler 37. The shielding plate 3 has a slit 44 at the tip of the rod 45.
5 is installed. The shielding plate 35 is located between the right-angle output type beam bundler 37 and the reflecting mirror 40 and is normally positioned to block the light from the right-angle output type beam bundler 37 from entering the reflecting mirror 40. In this reversal mechanism, when the connector 34 is fitted to the tank truck side and the rod 45 moves toward the space 38, the shielding plate 35 also moves accordingly, and the position of the slit 44 changes to the mirror of the right-angle output type beam bundler 37. and the reflecting mirror 40, the light sent by the optical fiber 39 at this time reaches the right-angle output type beam bundler 3.
7, the direction is changed at right angles by the mirror, passes through the slit 44, and reaches the reflecting mirror 40. Here, the light is reflected, passes through the slit 44 again, enters the mirror of the right-angle output type beam bundler 37, and is changed in direction at right angles.
will be returned to. This return mechanism can be made extremely small compared to the case where the conventional light velocity device 57 shown in FIG. 6 is used. In other words, in the conventional device shown in FIG. 6, the space 58 has a diameter of 40 mm due to the minimum allowable bending radius of the optical fiber 59.
However, when using a right-angle beam bundler as shown in Fig. 5, the space 38 has a diameter of 20 mm.
About mm is sufficient. Furthermore, even when two orthogonal output type beam bundlers are used as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the diameter of the space 8 is approximately 30 mm. can be made smaller.

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to confirm the grounding of a grounded object using an optical signal, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by electromagnetic induction noise that occur in the case of electrical grounding confirmation devices such as those of the prior art. leakage,
This has the advantage that there is no risk of causing a disaster due to sparks caused by a short circuit or the like. Further, by using a right-angle output type beam bundler, the shape of the connector can be made smaller, which has the advantage of reducing costs and making it possible to reduce the size and weight.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a grounding device according to an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the connector/return mechanism of the one shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the confirmation device of Fig. 1. FIG. 4 is a side view of a right-angle output type beam bundler used in one embodiment of this invention, FIG. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view of a connector/return mechanism in a grounding device according to another embodiment of this invention, and FIG. The figure is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of a connector/return mechanism when using a conventional beam bundler. 1: Grounded object, 3: Projection, 4, 34: Connector, 9, 10, 39: Optical fiber, 11: Photoelectric conversion device, 14, 44: Slit, 15, 35: Shielding plate, 17, 18, 37: Right-angle output beam bundler, 4
0: Reflector.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] 1. A conductive connector that fits into a protrusion attached to a grounded object to ground the grounded object, an optical fiber with one end attached to this connector, and this optical fiber. a photoelectric conversion device that is connected to the other end of the optical fiber and has the function of transmitting light to one end of the optical fiber and detecting light returned from the other end;
A return device having a right-angle output type beam bundler provided in the connector and configured to return the light sent to one end of the optical fiber to the photoelectric conversion device by the optical fiber when the connector is fitted to the predetermined position in the projection. A grounding device characterized by being provided with a confirmation device consisting of a mechanism. 2. In the utility model registration claim set forth in claim 1, the return mechanism includes a right-angle output type beam bundler provided at the connector side end of the optical fiber from which the light is sent, and an optical fiber that returns the light. A shielding plate with a slit, which is arranged to face a right-angle output type beam bundler provided at the side end of the connector, and is moved by being driven by the protrusion when the connector is fitted to the protrusion, in the gap between the two right-angle output type beam bundlers. A grounding device characterized by being provided with. 3. In the utility model registration claim set forth in claim 1, the return mechanism includes a right-angle output beam bundler provided at the connector side end of the optical fiber, and a right-angle output beam bundler disposed opposite to the right-angle output beam bundler. A shield plate with a slit is disposed between the right-angle output type beam bundler and the reflector, and is moved by being driven by the protrusion when the connector is fitted to the protrusion. grounding device.