JPS63157088A - Heater output control method for road surface water detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately detect the snowfall state, etc., on a road surface and to control a heater by storing outside temperature data, road surface data, and driving data and deciding the heater output of a road surface water detector by using those data. CONSTITUTION:An outside temperature decision device 6 judges in which of temperature sections 1-(n) temperature detected by an outside temperature sensor 4 belongs. The road surface water detector 2 detects the wetting degree of the road surface from snow accumulated on the detection part on the road surface. A water decision part 9 decides whether or not the road surface is set from the detection result of the detector 2. A snow melting heater operation decision part 10 decides whether or not a snow melting heater 3 operates. A storage part 8 stores the outside temperature data, road surface data, and driving data. Then when signals from the sensor 4, decision part 9, and decision part 10 are inputted, a decision circuit 7 inputs data corresponding to the inputs from the storage parts 8 and decides the best output of the heater of the detector 2 according to those data, thereby setting the heater output.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method for controlling the heater output of a road moisture detector used in road snow melting equipment to detect snow accumulation or wetness on the road surface. It is something.

(Prior art) A road surface moisture detector that detects the snow accumulation or wet state of the road surface in road snow melting equipment has a heater stored inside the detector.
A voltage is applied to the heater to melt snow or ice on the road surface into wood, and the detector detects the resistance between the electrodes, which changes depending on the presence or absence of water, to determine whether there is snow or ice on the road surface. It is designed to judge the status etc.

(Problems with conventional technology) Conventional road surface detection methods have the following problems.

(1) Since the voltage applied to the heater is always constant,
Even if the aM or wet state of the road surface changes, the heater always heats with the same output. For this reason, the detection unit may become hot due to changes in the outside temperature, or the heat source supplied to the snow melting equipment on the road surface may become locally hotter than other parts of the road surface, resulting in a partially dry state. It was difficult to detect wet conditions.

Therefore, the control of the snow melting heater output based on the detection result becomes insufficient, and the performance of the snow melting equipment decreases.

(2) To solve these problems, it is possible to insert a contact like a thermostat or a temperature sensor into the moisture detector, but since the moisture detector is buried in the road surface. Doing so would complicate the wiring and be impractical.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide a heater control method for a road surface moisture detector that can accurately detect the snow-covered state and wet state of the road surface, and to provide highly accurate snow melting equipment. It is in.

(Means for solving the problem) As shown in the figure, the method for controlling the heater output of the road moisture detector of the present invention divides the outside air temperature into predetermined temperature ranges [1 to n], and The relationship between the temperature and the heater output of the road moisture detector 2 (for example, the heater output decreases as the outside temperature increases) is stored in the storage unit 8 in several ways as outside temperature data, and the presence or absence of moisture detected by the road moisture detector 2 is stored as outside temperature data. The relationship between the temperature and the heater output of the same detector (for example, the output decreases when it is wet) is stored in the storage unit 8 as road surface data, and the relationship between the operation status of the snow melting heater 3 and the heater output of the road surface moisture detector 2 is stored as road surface data. Memorize the relationship (for example, the heater output decreases when the snow melting heater is in operation) as operating data! ! 18, the outside temperature is measured by the outside temperature measurement unit 4, outside temperature data of the temperature category to which the outside air temperature corresponds, and road surface data based on the presence or absence of road surface moisture detected by the road surface moisture detector 2. The heater output of the road surface moisture detector 2 is determined from the operation data based on whether the snow melting heater 3 is operated or not, and the same output is controlled.

(Operation of the Invention) In the diagram of the present invention, when the outside temperature is detected by the outside temperature sensor 5, the outside temperature is determined as 1 w n by the outside temperature determination device 6.
It is determined which temperature category the temperature category corresponds to, and the signal of the corresponding temperature category is input to the determination circuit 7.

When road surface moisture is detected by the road surface moisture detector 2 shown in the figure, a determination signal of YES or NO is input from the moisture determination section 9 to the determination circuit 7 .

When the snow melting heater operation determination unit 10 in the figure detects whether or not the snow melting heater 3 is being operated, the operation determination unit 10
An ON or OFF determination signal is input to the determination circuit 7.

When each signal is input to the determination circuit 7, among the various data stored in the memory 8, data corresponding to each input is input to the determination circuit 7, and based on these data, the road moisture detector The appropriate output of the second heat is determined,
The heater of the road moisture detector 2 is controlled based on the output.

The determination method in the determination circuit 7 is, for example, as follows.

When the road moisture detector 2 detects moisture, it means that the snow and ice on the road surface has already melted, so there is no need to further melt the snow and ice using the heater of the same detector 2. Therefore, in this case, The heater output is determined to be low.

When the snow melting heater is in operation, it has already detected that there is snow or ice on the road surface, so the heating of the detector 2 melts any further snow or ice and determines the degree of wetness of the road surface. Therefore, in this case, the heater output of the detector 2 is determined to be even lower.

(Example) The diagram is a tree! This is an example of A Ming. 4 in the figure is an outside air temperature measuring section. This is composed of an outside air temperature sensor 5 and an outside air temperature determiner 6. The outside air temperature sensor 5 detects outside air temperature. The outside air temperature determiner 6 is for determining which temperature category from 1 to n the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 4 falls into.

2 in the figure is the road surface moisture detector, which has a built-in heater (not shown) that melts the snow and ice that has accumulated on the detection section of the road surface and turns it into wood. It detects the degree of wetness on the road surface based on the presence and amount of wetness. Reference numeral 9 denotes a moisture determination unit, which determines whether the road surface is wet (YES, NO) based on the detection result of the road moisture detector 2.

3 in the figure is a snow melting heater, which melts planted snow on the road surface. Reference numeral 10 denotes a snow melting heater operation determination unit, which determines whether the snow melting heater is operating (ON, 0FF).

Reference numeral 8 denotes a storage section, in which three types of data are stored. One is several types of outside temperature data showing the relationship between the temperature of each temperature category 1-n and the heater output of the road surface moisture detector 2 (for example, the heater output decreases as the outside air temperature increases). The road surface data indicates the relationship between the presence or absence of moisture detected by the moisture detector 2 and the overnight output of the same detector (for example, the output decreases when it is wet). This is operational data showing the relationship between the presence or absence of the road surface moisture detector 2 and the heater output of the road surface moisture detector 2 (for example, the heater output decreases while the snow melting heater is in operation).

7 is a constant circuit, and when signals are inputted to this circuit 7 from the temperature measurement section 4, the moisture determination section 9, and the snow melting heater operation determination section 10, the circuit 7 receives signals from the storage section 8 according to the respective inputs. Various data are input, and the optimal output of the heater of the road surface moisture detector 2 is determined based on the input data, and the heater output is set.

The control system of the present invention can be easily realized by combining a device with a programmer and a timer such as a micro sequencer which is easily available these days, an outside temperature judgment base, a moisture judgment device, a solid state relay, etc.

(Effects of the Invention) The method for controlling the heater output of a road moisture detector according to the present invention has the following effects.

(1) The optimum output of the heater of the road surface moisture detector 2 is selected according to the outside temperature condition, the presence or absence of wetness of the road surface, and the operating status of the snow melting heater 3. This prevents localized high temperatures from drying out, making it possible to accurately detect the wet state.

(2) Rather than using the outside air temperature detected by the road surface moisture detector as it is, it is determined which of the temperature categories 1-n the outside air temperature measured by the outside air temperature measurement unit 2 falls under, Since the outside temperature data of the corresponding temperature category is used, the heater output of the road moisture detector 2 can be accurately controlled, and as a result, highly accurate snow melting equipment can be provided.

(3) Since there is no need to include a thermostat, temperature sensor, etc. in the road moisture detector 2, the configuration is simple and practical application is easy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the control method of the present invention. 1 to n are temperature categories 2 is road moisture detector 3 is snow melting heater 4 is the outside temperature measuring section

Claims (1)

[Claims] The outside air temperature is divided into predetermined temperature ranges, and several relationships between the temperature of each of these classifications and the heater output of the road surface moisture detector are stored as outside temperature data, and the presence or absence of moisture detected by the road surface moisture detector is detected in the same way. The relationship between the snow melting heater and the heater output of the sensor is stored as road surface data, the relationship between whether or not the snow melting heater is in operation and the heater output of the road surface moisture detector is stored as operating data, and the outside temperature is measured by the outside air temperature measurement section. The heater output of the road surface moisture detector is calculated based on the outside temperature data for the temperature category to which the outside air temperature corresponds, the road surface data based on the presence or absence of road surface moisture detected by the road surface moisture detector, and the operation data based on the operation of the snow melting heater. A method for controlling a heater output of a road surface moisture detector, characterized in that the heater output is controlled by determining the same.