JPH06299A - Iron - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely detect whether an iron is set to the self-erected state or the horizontal state even when the effect of the disturbance light is inflicted by detecting the intensity of the disturbance light while the light from a light emitting element is not received by a light receiving element, and correcting the threshold value according to the intensity. CONSTITUTION:When an iron is set to the self-erected state, a reflecting ball 9 is rolled upward on a slant section 11, the light from a light emitting element 7 is not reflected by the reflecting ball 9, the effect of the disturbance light can be detected, and the output from a light receiving element 8 is compared with the threshold value betafor detecting the effect of the disturbance light. When the output is the threshold value beta or below, it is judged that there is no effect of the disturbance light, and the comparison value for judging the self-erected state and the horizontal state is made the preset threshold value. When the output is the threshold value beta or above, it is judged that there is the effect of the disturbance light, and the comparison value is made a new comparison value added with a correction value alpha to the preset threshold value. It is judged that the iron is in the horizontal state when the output of the light receiving element 8 is the comparison value or above and the iron is in the self-erected state when the output is less than the comparison value.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an iron for detecting a horizontal state or a self-standing state and energizing a heater.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional iron has a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and when the iron is in a self-supporting state, it rolls to a position where it can reflect the light of the light emitting element
On the other hand, it is known to provide an attitude sensor having a freely rotatable reflection ball that rolls to a position where the light of the light emitting element cannot be reflected in the horizontal state.

In such an iron, the threshold value of the photodetection current value for detecting whether it is the self-supporting state or the horizontal state is fixed to, for example, 20 μA, and the photodetection current value output from the light receiving element is larger than 20 μA. The horizontal state is sometimes detected, and the self-supporting state is detected when the current is 20 μA or less.

In the horizontal state, the reflecting ball rolls to a position where the light from the light emitting element is reflected and guided to the light receiving element.
The photodetection current output from the light receiving element greatly exceeds 20 μA, so that the horizontal state is detected. When the horizontal state is detected, the relay is turned off and the heater energization is stopped in about 1 minute to ensure safety.

Further, when the iron is in a self-supporting state, the reflecting ball rolls to a position where the light from the light emitting element cannot be reflected, so that the light receiving element cannot receive the light from the light emitting element. The output light detection current value becomes 20 μA or less, and the self-sustaining state is detected. In this self-supporting state, the iron base is warmed up to a usable temperature and the relay base is kept in order not to cause inconvenience in use.
The time to turn off the heater and stop energizing the heater is set to about 10 minutes. As described above, conventionally, the threshold value of the photodetection current value for determining whether the iron is in the horizontal state or in the independent state has been fixed.

[0006]

In such an iron, when the iron is in a self-supporting state, the light receiving element does not receive the light from the light emitting element, and the output level is ideally zero, but in reality, It exhibits a certain output level due to the characteristics of the device itself and ambient light. Therefore, when the influence of the ambient light is large, the output level becomes large, and in some cases, the horizontal state may be erroneously detected despite the self-standing state. When such a situation occurs, when the power is turned on, the iron base has to be warmed up to the usable temperature, but the power supply to the heater is stopped in about one minute. It becomes impossible to heat the soot. As described above, the conventional iron has a problem that when it is affected by ambient light, it may not be possible to detect the self-supporting state or the horizontal state. Therefore, the present invention is intended to provide an iron capable of reliably detecting whether it is a self-supporting state or a horizontal state even if it is affected by ambient light.

[0007]

A light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are provided, and the iron rolls according to a change in the attitude of the iron in a self-supporting state or a horizontal state, and guides or non-guides light from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element. In an iron provided with a posture detecting means having a rolling member for making light,

The attitude detecting means compares the output level from the light receiving element with a threshold value to determine whether the iron is in the self-standing state or the horizontal state, and the light receiving element of the light receiving element when the light receiving element does not receive light from the light emitting element. A detection means for detecting the output level to detect the intensity of the ambient light and a threshold correction means for correcting the threshold according to the intensity of the ambient light detected by the detection means are provided.

[0009]

In the present invention having such a structure, the intensity of the ambient light is detected by the output level of the light receiving element in the state where the light receiving element receives the light from the light emitting element. After correcting the threshold value for determining the posture state of the iron according to the intensity of the ambient light, the output level from the light receiving element is compared with the threshold value to determine whether the iron is in a free-standing state or a horizontal state. To do.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an iron base, and a base heater 2 is housed in the iron base 1. A circuit component housing 4 having a handle 3 and a water tank 5 for steam generation are mounted on the iron base 1.

An attitude sensor 6 which constitutes an attitude detecting means is provided in the circuit component housing section 4. The attitude sensor 6 is composed of a light emitting element 7, a light receiving element 8 and a reflection ball storage portion 10 in which a spherical reflection ball 9 as a rolling member is stored. -The roll 9 rolls the inclined portion 11 to the upper side in the figure, and when the iron is in the horizontal state, the reflection ball 9 moves the inclined portion 1
1 is rolled down in the figure. When the reflection ball 9 rolls down the inclined portion 11 in the figure, the light from the light emitting element 7 is reflected on the surface of the reflection ball 9 and reaches the light receiving element 8 as shown in the figure. When the reflection ball 9 rolls the inclined portion 11 to the upper side in the figure, the light from the light emitting element 7 is not reflected by the reflection ball 9 and does not reach the light receiving element 8. The light emitting element 7 and the light receiving element 8
Is connected and fixed to a circuit board (not shown) housed in the circuit component housing section 4. The circuits shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are arranged on the circuit board.

FIG. 2 shows a power supply unit, which is connected to a commercial AC power supply 12 through a socket plug, for example, a series circuit of the base heater 2 and a normally open contact 13m of a relay 13. An input terminal of a full-wave rectifier circuit 14 is connected to the AC power supply 12.

The output terminal of the full-wave rectifier circuit 14 is connected to the positive terminal of the terminal a, and the collector of the NPN transistor 15 is connected via a resistor 16. The base of the transistor 15 is connected to the negative electrode side of the output terminal of the full-wave rectifier circuit 14 through a constant voltage diode 17 having a reverse polarity. The terminal b is connected to the emitter of the transistor 15.

A driving voltage V1 is taken out between the terminal a and the negative side of the output terminal of the full-wave rectification circuit 14, and a driving voltage V2 is taken out between the terminal b and the anode of the constant voltage diode 17. There is. FIG. 3 shows a control unit, and this control unit is provided with a control circuit unit 20 in which a microcomputer is housed.

One end of the operation switch 21 is connected to the input terminal of the control circuit section 20, and one end of the relay 13 is connected to the output terminal. The other end of the operation switch 21 is grounded, and the other end of the relay 13 is connected to the terminal a. Further, the control circuit section 20 has
An input terminal including the / D conversion units 22 and 23 is provided. Further, the control circuit section 20 supplies display information to the display section 24.

A series circuit of a resistor 25 and a thermistor 26 for detecting the temperature of the iron base 1 is connected between the terminal b for outputting the driving voltage V2 and the ground. A series circuit of a resistor 28 and the light emitting element 7 is connected between the terminal b and ground through a PNP transistor 27, and a series circuit of a resistor 29 and the light receiving element 8 is connected through the transistor 27. It is connected.

The connection point between the resistor 25 and the thermistor 26 is connected to the input terminal of the A / D converter 22, and the connection point between the resistor 29 and the light receiving element 8 is connected to the A / D converter. It is connected to 23 input terminals. The base of the transistor 27 is connected to the output terminal of the control circuit section 20. A program is set in the microcomputer of the control circuit unit 20 so as to perform the posture detecting process of the iron shown in FIG.

In this attitude state detection processing, first, the A / D
The amount of light received by the light receiving element 8 is read as a light detection current via the conversion unit 23, and the iron is in a self-supporting state or in a horizontal state depending on whether or not the read light detection current is 20 μA or less which is a threshold value. Detect if there is.

When the iron is in a self-supporting state, the reflection ball 9 rolls the inclined portion 11 upward in FIG. 1, and the light from the light emitting element 7 is not reflected by the reflection ball 9. There is.

In this state, it is possible to detect the influence of the ambient light, so the output from the A / D converter 23 is compared with the threshold value β for detecting the influence of the ambient light (detection means). .

If the A / D conversion value is not greater than the threshold value β, it is determined that there is no influence of ambient light, and the comparison value for determining the self-sustaining state and the horizontal state is 20 μA which is a preset threshold value.
To If the A / D conversion value is equal to or greater than the threshold value β, it is determined that there is an influence of ambient light, and the comparison value is added to the preset threshold value of 20 μA and the correction value of α is added to obtain a new comparison value. (Threshold correction means).

After the comparison value is determined in this way, A /
The amount of light received by the light receiving element 8 is read as a photodetection current via the D converter 23 and compared with a comparison value. When the A / D converted value at this time is equal to or greater than the comparison value, it is determined that the iron is in the horizontal state, and when the A / D converted value is less than the comparison value, it is determined that the iron is in the independent state (determination means). .

Further, when the horizontal state of the iron is detected in the first self-supporting state and horizontal state detection, the reflection ball 9 rolls the inclined portion 11 downward in FIG. 1, and the light from the light emitting element 7 is reflected. Since the light is reflected by the ball 9 and received by the light receiving element 8, it is impossible to detect the influence of the ambient light at this time, and therefore the comparison value correction process is not performed.

In the embodiment having such a construction, when the iron is set to the self-standing state and the operation switch 21 is turned on, the control circuit section 20 outputs a low level signal to the base of the transistor 27 to turn it on. Also, the relay 13 is turned on. As a result, the normally open contact 13m of the relay 13 is closed, and energization of the base heater 2 is started. In this way, the iron base 1 is heated.

On the other hand, in this self-supporting state, the light receiving element 8
The amount of received light is read as a light detection current, and the A / D conversion unit 2
The A / D converted value which is the output from 3 is compared with the threshold value β. If the A / D converted value is less than the threshold value β, it is determined that there is no influence of ambient light, and the comparison value is set to a preset threshold value of 20 μm.
Set to A. However, if the A / D conversion value is equal to or greater than the threshold value β, it is determined that there is an influence of ambient light, and the comparison value is set to a value obtained by adding a correction value of α to a preset threshold value of 20 μA.

In this way, after the presence or absence of the influence of ambient light is detected and the comparison value is determined, the amount of light received by the light receiving element 8 is again read as the light detection current via the A / D converter 23, and compared with the comparison value to be ironed. To determine if is horizontal or independent.

When it is determined that the base heater 2 is in the self-sustaining state, the continuation of energization to the base heater 2 is set to, for example, 10 minutes. As a result, after the power is turned on, the temperature of the iron base 1 is sufficiently warmed to a temperature suitable for ironing work.

When it is determined that the base heater 2 is in the horizontal state, the continuation of energization to the base heater 2 is set to, for example, 1 minute. As a result, even if the iron is accidentally turned on while the iron is in the horizontal state, the power supply to the base heater 2 is stopped after 1 minute, so that safety is ensured.

In this way, the comparison value for judging whether the iron is in the self-supporting state or in the horizontal state is taken into consideration the influence of the ambient light on the light receiving element 8, and when the influence of the ambient light is large, the correction value α is added to the comparison value. Is added as a new comparison value, and this new comparison value is used as the threshold value for determining the self-sustaining state and the horizontal state.Therefore, it is possible to reliably determine the self-standing state and the horizontal state even if there is an influence of ambient light. Become. That is, it is possible to reliably determine the posture state of the iron.

In the above embodiment, the attitude sensor is of the reflection type using the reflection ball 9 that rolls the inclined portion 11, but the attitude sensor is not necessarily limited to this. May be used.

[0032]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, by correcting the threshold value of the photodetection current, it is possible to correctly detect the posture of the self-supporting state or the horizontal state without being affected by the ambient light. It is possible to provide an iron that can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a partially cut iron according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a power supply unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a control unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a posture detecting process of the iron by the microcomputer of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Base heater, 7 ... Light emitting element, 8 ... Light receiving element, 9 ...
Reflection ball, 20 ... Control section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light emitting element and a light receiving element are provided, and the iron rolls in accordance with a change in an attitude of an iron in a self-supporting state or a horizontal state, and guides or does not guide light from the light emitting element to the light receiving element. In an iron provided with a posture detecting means having a rolling member, the posture detecting means compares the output level from the light receiving element with a threshold value and determines whether the iron is in a free standing state or a horizontal state, and the light receiving element. Detects the output level of the light receiving element in a state where the light from the light emitting element is not received, and detects the intensity of the ambient light, and the threshold value according to the intensity of the ambient light detected by the detecting means. An iron, comprising: a threshold correction means for correcting.