JPS6230573B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a gas meter with a shutoff mechanism that shuts off gas when the gas flow rate deviates from a specified range or in an emergency.

In indoor gas piping, in the event of an earthquake, power outage, leakage of unburned gas, or other emergencies, or when the gas flow rate is outside the specified range,
When it is necessary to automatically cut off the gas supply for safety reasons, conventionally a solenoid valve is inserted into the gas pipe near the gas meter to cut off the gas supply from a gas leak detector, earthquake sensor, or gas usage status monitor. Closing operations were performed based on signals. However, solenoid valves are expensive, require a lot of effort to install in piping, and have many drawbacks, such as the fact that there are often problems with the installation location, especially in the case of existing piping. The present invention attempts to solve these drawbacks by inserting an electromagnetic valve device that closes the valve in response to an electric signal into the inlet of the upper case of the gas meter, and making it possible to return the valve manually from the outside. The present invention is intended to provide a reliable and inexpensive gas meter with a shutoff device that incorporates a low-voltage driven valve device.The details of the present invention will be explained below based on examples.

In Figures 1 and 2, 1 is the main body, 2 is a measuring membrane made of a rubber diaphragm etc. built into the measuring chamber 3 in the main body, and the measuring membrane 2 is the front and back of the measuring chamber 3 in Figure 2. The pressure difference of the gas entering the metering chamber 3 causes a back-and-forth movement, and this movement becomes a back-and-forth rotation movement of the wing shaft 5 through the movable crank 4, which causes a large armrest 6 formed integrally with it to rotate. It is transmitted as a vibration. There is another metering chamber at the rear of the main body 1 in FIG. The rotational movement of the crank arm 8 is transmitted through the armrests 7 and 7' as a rotational movement of the crank arm 8, and the respective rotational directions are oscillated at a constant angle. The rotation of the crank arm 8 becomes the rotation of the shaft 9, one of which is decelerated through the worm gear box 10 and transmitted to the metering mechanism as the rotation of the metering transmission shaft 11, and the other rotates the crankshaft 12 and is transmitted to the connecting plates 13, 13. Slide valves 14, 14' for controlling the opening and closing of gas flowing in and out of the metering chambers 3, 3' (back side not shown) via '
are oscillated with axes 15, 15', 16,
16' is the valve port thereof, and 17 is the gas main outlet.
That is, the membrane motion of the metering membrane is converted into rotational motion, and the rotational motion is transmitted to the metering mechanism and the slide valve part,
These mechanisms are integrally formed in the main body 1.
Reference numeral 18 denotes the upper case of the main body 1, which serves as the outer casing of the rotation mechanism chamber 18' in which the rotation mechanism section and the like are housed, and has a gas inlet 19 and a gas outlet 20 continuing from the gas main body outlet 17. Further, a measuring unit case 21 in which a measuring mechanism is housed is integrally formed. Furthermore, the upper case 18 has its gas inlet 1.
A valve seat 22 is provided near the valve seat 9, and a valve body 23 and an electromagnet 24 are integrally provided in the upper case at a position opposing the valve seat 22. The valve seat 22, the valve seat 23, and the electromagnet 24 form a valve device. This valve device is housed in an empty space of the rotating mechanism section. 25
is a valve opening cam that opens the valve device, and is provided so as to come into contact with the valve body 23 on the upstream side of the valve seat 22;
Reference numeral 26 denotes a return shaft, and 27 a return lever thereof, which is configured to be rotated from the outside of the upper case 18.

Figures 3 and 4 are detailed diagrams of the valve device, and the electromagnet 2
4 is the coil 28, coil bobbin 29, yoke 3
0. It is composed of a permanent magnet 31 integrated with the yoke 30 and a movable iron core 32 integrated with the valve body 23. When the coil 28 is not energized, the iron core 32 overcomes the detachment spring 33 and becomes a permanent magnet. 31, and the valve body 23 is separated from the valve seat 22 and is in an open state. Further, the return lever 27 is locked by the rotational return spring 34 at the place where it comes into contact with the locking pin 35, and in this state, the large diameter direction of the valve opening cam 25 is oriented horizontally and in the direction away from the valve body 23. It is configured as follows.

The present invention has the above configuration, and the operation is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIGS. 3 and 4 showing enlarged main parts.
This will be explained using figures. Under normal conditions, the gas flow enters the upper case 18 through the inlet 19 and passes through the valve ports 16, 16'.
When entering the metering chambers 3, 3', the metering membranes 2, 2' (back side, not shown) move back and forth due to the pressure difference between the inlet pressure and the pressure leading to the outlet 17, and the membrane enters the metering chamber once. The gas passes through passages (not shown) formed on the valve ports 16, 16' and the valve sides of the slide valves 14, 14', and is pushed out to the main body outlet 17 and then to the outlet 2.
0 to the indoor gas supply port. On the other hand, the movement of the metering membrane is converted into a rotational movement of the crank arm 8 through the blade shafts 5, 5', large armrests 6, 6', and small armrests 7, 7'. One side of the rotation is transmitted to the metering mechanism through the shaft 9, the worm gear, and the metering transmission shaft 11, and the amount of gas used is displayed on a counter. The slide valves 14, 14' are oscillated through the valve 13', the valve ports 16, 16' slide open and close, and gas enters and exits the metering chambers 3, 3' to continue the operation. As mentioned in the configuration section, the normal state of the electromagnet is that the coil 28 is not energized, the iron core 32 is attracted to the permanent magnet 31, and the valve body 2
3 is located away from the valve seat 22 and is in the open state.

Next, in the event of an abnormality, such as when the gas flow rate deviates from the specified range (accompanied by a flow rate sensor or microcomputer (not shown)), or in an emergency due to detection by an indoor gas leak detector or earthquake sensor, etc. When it is necessary to cut off the supply, coil 2 of electromagnet 24
A one-shot current is applied to the magnet 8, and the permanent magnet 31 is connected to the magnetic circuit composed of the iron core 32, the yoke 30, etc.
A reverse magnetic field is generated, and the permanent magnet 31 loses the attraction force of the iron core 32, and the repulsive force of the detachment spring 33 causes the iron core 3 to
2 and the valve body 23 are separated from the electromagnet 24, and the valve body 2
3 contacts the valve seat 22, the valve device is closed, gas supply is stopped, and safety is ensured. Confirmation that the gas supply has been cut off will be displayed externally using electrical or mechanical means, but illustration is omitted here. Next, when the abnormal condition is confirmed and removed and the shutoff device is to be reset, the return lever 27 is rotated approximately 1/4 turn against the return spring 34 to open the valve via the return shaft 26. The cam 25 rotates, and the valve opening cam 25 comes into contact with the vicinity of the central protrusion of the valve body 23, which is closed by contacting the valve seat 22, and the diameter increases from the radial direction of the cam at first as the cam rotates. The valve body 23 is in contact with the valve opening cam 25
3, the valve element 23 separates from the valve seat 22 to open the valve, and the iron core 32 contacts and is attracted to the permanent magnet 31, so that the valve device remains open. be done. Note that at this time, that is, under normal conditions, the coil 28 is not energized and does not act as an electromagnet. If the valve device is kept open, the return lever operation is released and the rotational return spring 34 opens the valve opening cam 25 and the return lever 27.
will return to the state before the operation, resulting in the state shown by the solid line in FIGS. 3 and 4, and normal use of the gas meter will be resumed.

Note that the present invention incorporates a valve device using an electromagnet near the inlet of the upper case inside the gas meter.
For example, compared to a means that mechanically stops the rotation of the crank arm 8 and shuts off the slide valves 14, 14' by stopping them secondarily,
A more complete gas flow cutoff without leakage is possible. During shutoff, no extra stress is applied to the metering membrane 2, movable crank 4, wing shaft 5, armrests 6, 7, etc., and there is no risk of impairing the flow rate measurement accuracy of the gas meter. It has unique effects such as no electromagnet protruding from the outside of the gas meter. Furthermore, the configurations of the valve seat, valve body, electromagnet, return means, etc. are not limited to the configurations of the above embodiments.

As described above, the present invention provides a gas meter with a cutoff device that can reliably cut off gas supply with a simple device in the event of an abnormality or emergency, and can also easily and reliably perform a return operation after safety has been confirmed. It has the following effects.

(1) Without changing the original structure of the gas meter, the cut-off and return device, except for the return operation lever, is installed in an empty space inside the meter by simple means, making it a reliable and inexpensive cut-off device gas meter. In addition, there is no need to install a solenoid valve or the like externally in the gas piping as a shutoff device, and it is easy to install on existing piping.
In addition, compared to a system that blocks the gas flow by secondarily stopping the flow rate measuring means including a rotating member that rotates according to the gas flow rate and transmits the flow rate to the flow rate indicating means, Since a valve body driven by an electromagnet is provided, the gas flow can be shut off reliably without leakage, and no extra stress is applied to the flow rate measuring means, etc., so that the accuracy of flow rate measurement of the gas meter is not impaired.

(2) A permanent magnet is used to hold the valve open, and the electromagnet is activated only when the valve is closed, and by manual operation for return, the electromagnet generates a momentary repulsive magnetic field that removes the permanent magnet's attraction and holding force. It is possible to use a small-sized, low-voltage electromagnet, and it consumes little power and can be powered by a battery, making it suitable as a built-in meter type interrupting device.

(3) The return operation of the valve device is operated by a cam from the upstream side of the valve device, and in addition, by operating the cam from the outside, a simple configuration and reliable return can be performed, and the return operation can be easily performed from the outside. This makes it an excellent gas meter with a household shutoff device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view showing an embodiment of a gas meter with a shutoff mechanism of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the same gas meter, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of essential parts of the shutoff mechanism. 2...Metric membrane, 3...Measuring chamber, 4...Movable crank, 5...Blade shaft, 6, 6'...Large armrest, 7,
7'...Kojikin, 8...Crank arm, 11...
...Metric transmission shaft, 12...Crankshaft, 13,1
3'... Connection plate, 14, 14'... Slide valve, 16, 16'... Valve port, 18... Upper case,
18'...Rotating mechanism chamber, 19...Gas inlet, 20
... Gas outlet, 22 ... Valve seat, 23 ... Valve body, 2
4... Electromagnet, 25... Valve opening cam, 26... Return shaft, 27... Return lever.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A metering chamber that delivers gas by the membrane motion of a metering membrane, and a rotation mechanism chamber that has a mechanism that converts the membrane motion into rotational motion and transmits it to the metering mechanism and the slide valve section that opens and closes the gas passage. and an upper case which is an outer casing of the rotation mechanism chamber and has a gas inlet/outlet, and a valve body driven by an electromagnet is provided in the vicinity of the inlet in the upper case in addition to the slide valve part to form a gas passage. A gas meter with a shutoff mechanism that opens and closes. 2. A gas meter with a shutoff mechanism according to claim 1, wherein when the valve is closed, the valve is closed by the action of an electromagnet using an electric signal, and when the valve is opened, the valve body is returned by manual operation. 3. The gas meter with a shutoff mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a cam for opening the valve body is provided on the upstream side of the valve body, and the cam is operated from outside the upper case via a return shaft.