JPS6230160Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a remote reading device that reads out multi-digit scale numbers measured on a plurality of objects to be measured. There are various methods of electrically reading meter readings for consumption of electricity, gas, water, etc. at a remote location, but this invention particularly relates to a system in which the meter itself has an electrical reading means corresponding to the guideline value.

The reading means is commonly referred to as an encoder, and is generally configured to have a mechanical contact such as a rotary switch that operates in response to an instruction value of three digits or more, and to read out the output of this contact. In this case, since the indicated value is usually a numerical value from "0" to "9", it is a rotary switch model with 10 contacts for each digit. A conventional remote reading device employing such an encoder method will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an encoder system in which reading is performed by a logic circuit and display is performed by a 7-segment light emitting element. That is, encoders 101 to 104 for four digits each have an instruction value of 0 to 9.
Each indication value of is connected in common and this decimal number is
7 through the code conversion circuit 2 which converts the output of the BCD conversion circuit 1 into a binary code in the BCD conversion circuit 1 and further converts the output of the BCD conversion circuit 1 into an output corresponding to the input of the 1-segment display element 5.
A signal corresponding to the indicated value is sent to the segment display element 5. Data line C ₁ ~ corresponding to each digit at the same time
The signal sent by C ₄ is input to the shift register 3 and performs digit switching at the output frequency of the oscillator 4 to display each digit of the display element 5.

In addition, as shown in Fig. 2 _{, the} resistance r ₀ ~ _r9 are connected in series and a supply voltage E is applied across them. Thus, in the case of the same figure,
The meter reading is read from the divided voltage read from the resistor voltage divider circuit connected in series with the 3-digit digit lines of ^{1m 3} , 10m ³ , and 100m ³ .

The above-mentioned reading devices are often implemented in apartment complexes, etc., where meters are installed in each house and meter reading is done at one location. The biggest challenge is how to concentrate the reading in one place. For this reason, it is necessary to reduce the number of output lines as much as possible and simplify the wiring. However, for this reason, the large number of meters and encoders must not be expensive, and the equipment for reading meter readings must not be expensive or unreliable compared to the size of the system. .

Considering the number of readout lines of the conventional device from this perspective, in the device shown in FIG.
To read a 4-digit number, a total of 14 readout lines (10 indication value readout lines and 4 digit readout lines) are required, and in the device shown in Figure 2, to read a 3-digit number, A total of five readout lines are required: two instruction value readout lines and three digit readout lines.

Furthermore, conventional devices have not always been satisfactory in terms of economy, reliability, and simplicity.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to further reduce the number of readout lines and provide an economical, highly reliable, and simple remote reading device.

In order to achieve this purpose, according to this invention, the sliders of at least three-digit rotary switches that rotate intermittently in response to the measured quantity are connected to a switching device, and the sliders are opened and closed depending on the output voltage of the selection circuit. This is done by closing one of the contacts of the device and reading the value of the current flowing through the circuit with a current detector.

The feature of this invention is that the switching device connects the rotary switch sliders of each digit in a line through switches that operate independently according to the digit selected by the selection circuit.

Figure 3 shows an example of this invention.
The case of reading 4 digits is shown. According to this embodiment, for example, a 10-contact rotary switch is provided that rotates intermittently in correspondence with the scale of the display character wheel of a water meter, and the contacts from 0 to 9 corresponding to the meter reading are read out in common for each digit. A resistance circuit 31 is connected to the readout line 30, and a resistance circuit 31 is connected to one end of the readout line 30, in which impedance elements, such as resistances, having different resistance values are connected for each scale number, and the other ends of these resistances are connected in common. Use it as a leader line and lead it to the C terminal of the reader.
Since the resistance value of each resistor has a current difference as described later, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, r corresponds to the display value "0", r/2 corresponds to the display value "1"...the display value r/10 is connected corresponding to "9". On the other hand, sliders b ₁ to b ₄ (shown simulatively), which are movable contacts of each encoder or rotary switch, are connected to switchgear, such as relays RY ₁ to RY.
All digits are combined into one leader line and connected to the A terminal of the reading device via contacts _a1 to _a4 , which are switches of _RY4 . Furthermore, one side of the relay coils _C1 to _C4 , which are switch actuators for all digits, and one side of the relay contacts _a1 to _a4 are commonly connected to the B terminal of the reading device.

In addition, on the reading device side that performs intensive reading, A-
A power source E is connected between the B terminals via a changeover switch 32 so that four levels of voltages V ₁ to V ₄ can be taken out. A power source E _S is connected between the B and C terminals via a measuring means 33 that measures the current passing through the C terminal. The changeover switch 32 and the power source E constitute a selection circuit for the relays _RY1 to _RY4 , which are switching devices, and the resistor circuit 31, the power source _E.sub.S, etc. read the value of each digit from the current value. The changeover switch 32 has four contacts in order to select a four-digit value, and voltages V ₁ , V ₂ , V ₃ , and V ₄ are applied from the power source E to each contact.

Here, the relays RY ₁ to RY ₄ are energized only by the voltages V ₁ to V ₄ applied by the power supply E and the switch 32 on the reading device side, respectively, to close the contacts a ₁ to a ₄ . That is, only relay RY ₁ is energized for applied voltage V ₁ , only relay RY ₂ is energized for applied voltage V ₂ , and so on. Such a relay is constructed, for example, as shown in FIG. In the same figure, the biasing coil 4
For a relay having a fixed contact piece 41 and a movable contact piece 42, the starting force of the movable contact piece 42 is limited by a spring 43 or the like. In this case, the coil core 40a of the energizing coil 40 is a permanent magnet, and when the coil 40 is not excited, the permanent magnet 40a attracts the contact piece 42 to form an open circuit state, and the coil 40 is energized. permanent magnet 40
Form lines of magnetic force in the direction opposite to the direction of the lines of magnetic force in a,
The core magnet 40a, excitation coil 40, and spring 43 of each relay are designed and manufactured so that the force attracting the contact piece 42 becomes zero when both magnetic forces are balanced. When both magnetic forces are balanced, the contact piece 42 is pulled toward the contact piece 41 by the force of the spring 43 and the circuit is closed. At other voltages, the coil 40
The magnetic force caused by the permanent magnet 40a or the magnetic force caused by the permanent magnet 40a exceeds the other and attracts the contact piece 42, resulting in an open circuit. Instead of the relays RY ₁ to RY ₄ configured in this way, an electronic relay may be configured using a semiconductor device, and this type of electronic relay is well known.

With the above configuration, readout of a desired digit is prepared by switching the switch 32, and the resistance of the resistance circuit 31 → slider (any one of b ₁ to b ₄ ) → relay (RY ₁ ~RY ₄ ) → A closed circuit is formed by the power source E _S , and the power source of this closed circuit varies depending on the resistance value of the resistance circuit 31 corresponding to each indicated value, so this is used as a measuring means. By measuring with the current detector 33, the indicated value of each digit can be known.

In this manner, in the switching device according to this embodiment, the switch actuator corresponding to the digit selected by the selection circuit operates the switch of that digit, and the slider b ₁ to b of that digit is operated through the switch of this digit. Connect b ₄ to the power source E _S through a line to form a closed circuit for that digit. Therefore, only three lead lines are required from the meter side, and this number does not change depending on the number of digits to be read.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of this invention, which differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in that the structure of the opening/closing device is different. That is, as described above, the switching device operates the switch within the switching device corresponding to the digit selected by the selection circuit to form an independent closed circuit for each selected digit.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the switch is connected in such a way that one end of each switch is connected to the sliders b ₁ to b ₄ of the rotary switch, and the other end is connected in common, so that they are connected in one line. When the switch of the digit selected by the selection circuit is energized, a closed circuit of the selected digit is formed only through this switch. On the other hand, according to this embodiment, a double contact point is used as a switch instead of relays RY ₁ to RY ₄ .
Relays RY ₁ ′ to RM ₄ ′ having a ₁ ′ to _{a 4} ′ are provided, and the zener voltages V _Z1 > V _Z2 > V _Z3 > V Z4 are connected in series to the coils of the respective relays RY _{1 ′} to RY _{4 ′} . diode
Connect Z ₁ to Z ₄ . Since the contacts of each relay RY ₁ ′ to RY ₄ ′ are connected with priority, only the higher-ranking relay is always energized for a specific Zener voltage.

That is, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, one end of the contact of the double-contact switch that becomes closed when energized is connected to the sliders b ₁ to b ₄ of the rotary switch in the embodiment shown in FIG. The contacts on the side that are in the closed state except when energized are connected in the order of priority of each digit, so that they are connected in a line, and when the switch of the selected digit is energized, the priority is transferred through this switch. A closed circuit for the selected digit is formed via contacts that are closed except when the lower switches are energized. Therefore, substantially the same functions and effects as in the embodiment described above are achieved.

As explained above, according to the remote reading device according to the invention, the contacts corresponding to the same display value of at least three digits of rotary switches are commonly connected,
These common connection lines are connected in common through impedance elements with respective predetermined resistance values, and then the sliders of the rotary switches of at least three digits are connected to one line through the switches that constitute the switchgear for each digit. Further, a selection circuit is connected to a switch actuator of the opening/closing device so that the switch corresponding to each digit is operated independently for each desired reading digit. In other words, the switchgear connects the slider of the rotary switch of each digit in a line through a switch that operates independently according to the digit selected by the selection circuit, so the slider of the rotary switch of each digit can detect current. This is equivalent to a configuration in which each digit is independently connected to the device and the power source, and the closed circuit formed through the slider of each digit becomes independent. In this way, in order to detect the current from the slider of each digit of the meter, the switching device operates the switch corresponding to the digit selected by the selection circuit using the switch actuator, and through the switch of this digit, the switch corresponding to the digit selected by the selection circuit is operated. Connect the slider to the power source via a line to form a closed circuit for that girder. Therefore, the number of leader lines can be reduced to three regardless of the number of digits to be read, and it is possible to provide a remote reading device that is economical, highly reliable, and has a simple configuration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 are system diagrams of conventional devices, Figure 3 is a system diagram of an embodiment of this invention, Figure 4 is a system diagram of main parts of the embodiment of Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a system diagram of an embodiment of this invention. It is a system diagram of an example of. 101-104... Encoder, _b1 -b4... Slider, 1, ₂ ... Code conversion circuit, 3... Shift register, 4... Oscillator, 5... Display means, 30
...Reading line, 31...Resistance circuit, RY ₁ to RY ₄ ,
RY ₁ ′ to RY ₄ ′... Relay, a ₁ to a ₄ , a ₁ ′ to a ₄ ′... Relay contact, C ₁ to C ₄ , C ₁ ′ to O ₄ ′... Relay coil, 32... Selection switch, 33... Current detector, E, E _S ... Power supply, Z ₁ to _{Z 4} ... Zener diode.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Impedance elements each having a predetermined resistance value, each contact point corresponding to the same display value of a rotary switch of three or more digits that rotates intermittently depending on the measured quantity are connected in common, and one end is connected to each common connection line; It has a switch with different opening and closing voltages and a switch actuator that opens and closes the switch,
The sliders of the rotary switches of three or more digits are each connected to one line via a switch corresponding to each digit, and the switch actuators corresponding to the switches are connected in parallel between the one line and the other line. A power supply that generates different switching voltages for each of the switches is connected between a switching device connected to the switching device and a selection changeover switch for selecting a desired reading digit between the one line and the other line connected to the switching device. , a selection circuit that supplies the switching voltage of the switch corresponding to the reading digit selected by the selection changeover switch to the switching device through the other line and the first line;
a current detector that connects the other end of the impedance element to a commonly connected connection point, connects to the line via a power source, and reads the current value of the impedance element of the digit selected by the selection circuit; A remote reading device comprising: