JPH05156681A - Feed water controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically adjust the sensitivity of detection according to the place where a feed water controller is installed and to the service conditions of the controller by increasing or decreasing the sensitivity if a non-detected or detected state continues for a preset time. CONSTITUTION:A reflection sensor 2 is provided which detects the presence of users 6 by using light reception means 5 to detect light reflected after being projected from light projection means 4. The reflection sensor 2 is provided with sensitivity switching means comprising a resistance network 47, etc., so that the sensitivity of detection can be switched among multistages. When a non-detected state continues for a preset time, preset time, a command to require sensitivity to increase is generated from sensitivity shortage judging means 83. When a detected state continues for a preset time, a command to require sensitivity to lower is generated from sensitivity excess judging means 84. When the command to require sensitivity to increase or lower is generated, control is performed by the sensitivity switch control means 85 to increase or decrease sensitivity.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water supply controller having a reflection type sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a user such as a urinal by detecting the reflected light of the light projected from the light projecting means by the light receiving means, and more particularly, The present invention relates to a water supply control device that automatically adjusts the sensitivity of a reflective sensor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a reflection type sensor used in a conventional water supply control device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-294032.

A conventional reflection type sensor 100 projects infrared light from a light projecting element 102 based on an output of a pulse generating circuit 101, and receives light reflected by a user (not shown) in a light receiving element 10.
The light is received at 3 and converted into an electric signal. The light receiving element 103
The output of is amplified by the amplifier circuit 104, and the auto-zero circuit 10
In step 5, the disturbance light level of sunlight or a fluorescent lamp immediately before light projection is memorized, the difference between this disturbance light level and the reflected light level for the light projection is detected, and this difference is detected in advance by the discrimination level signal generation circuit 106. The comparator 107 determines whether or not the set discrimination level is exceeded, and obtains a sensing output indicating the presence or absence of the user.

The discrimination level signal generating circuit 106 comprises a power source 106a and a variable resistor 106b, and the variable resistor 106b sets the discrimination level.

[0005]

However, although the sensitivity of the reflection type sensor used in the conventional water supply control device is set within a standard predetermined range, it is not possible to use a wall or a wall facing the installation place. When the distance to the placement object is short, it is necessary to adjust the determination level individually so as not to detect them, and the adjustment work at the time of installation is troublesome.

Further, the light emitting efficiency of the light emitting diode or the like, which is a light emitting element, may decrease with long-term use, which may lead to a decrease in the sensitivity of the sensor. Therefore, sensitivity adjustment work is required from the viewpoint of maintenance. ..

Further, when a public toilet or the like is crowded, a plurality of people may exist within the sensing range of the sensor, and in such a case, it may not be possible to sense that the original user has left. .. Therefore, there has been a demand for a sensor that can automatically adjust the sensing sensitivity according to the surrounding situation.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a water supply control device having a reflection type sensor capable of automatically adjusting the sensing sensitivity according to the installation place and the use condition. Especially.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the water supply control device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a sensitivity insufficient condition judging means for generating a sensitivity increase request command when the non-sensing condition continues for a predetermined time. And a sensitivity switching control means for increasing the sensitivity by one step based on the sensitivity increase request command.

Further, the water supply control device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes an excessive sensitivity state determination means for generating a sensitivity reduction request command when the sensing state continues for a predetermined time, and one step of sensing sensitivity based on the sensitivity reduction request command. A reflection type sensor having a sensitivity switching control means for reducing the sensitivity is provided.

The switching of the sensing sensitivity is preferably performed by changing the light projecting current of the light projecting element.

Further, a standard sensitivity state returning means for issuing a return command to the standard sensitivity state when the state in which the sensitivity is changed continues for a predetermined time may be provided.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the reflection type sensor of the water supply control device judges that the sensitivity is insufficient when the sensing output is not obtained for a predetermined time continuously and increases the sensing sensitivity by one step.

The reflection type sensor of the water supply control device according to the second aspect judges that the sensitivity is excessive when there is a sensed output continuously for a predetermined period of time, and reduces the sensed sensitivity by one level. The sensing sensitivity is changed by increasing or decreasing the light projection current. Further, when the state in which the sensitivity is changed continues for a predetermined time, the sensing sensitivity is returned to the initial sensitivity.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a water supply control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The water supply control device 1 comprises a reflection type sensor 2 for detecting a user such as a urinal, which is an object of detection, and a water supply control section 3 for controlling water supply based on a signal from the reflection type sensor 2.

The reflection type sensor 2 is a light projecting means 4 for emitting light.
A light receiving means 5 for receiving light, a judging circuit 7 for judging the presence of the user 6, and a light projecting current designating means 8.

The light projecting means 4 includes a clock generating circuit 41, a selecting circuit 42 for selecting an intermittent light projecting period, and an AND circuit 43.
And a light projecting circuit 44. FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the operation of the light projecting means.

The clock generation circuit 41 divides a master clock generated by using a crystal oscillator, a ceramic oscillator, or the like to divide the carrier clock signal 41a shown in FIGS. The optical clock signal 41b and a frequency dividing circuit for generating the intermittent light emitting clock signal 41c at the time of sensing are provided.

In this embodiment, the frequency of the carrier clock signal 41a is about 38 kHz, the intermittent light projection period during non-sensing is about 2 seconds, and the intermittent light projection period during sensing is about 1 second. The selection circuit 42, based on the reflected light sensing state signal 81a supplied from the light projecting current designating means 8, outputs the intermittent light emitting clock signal 41b during non-sensing in the non-sensing state and the intermittent light emitting clock signal 41c during sensing in the sensing state. Select. The selected intermittent light emission clock signal 42a is supplied to one input terminal of the AND circuit 43 and the comparison reference signal input terminal 7a of the judgment circuit 7.

The carrier clock signal 41a is supplied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 43, and the intermittent light emitting clock signal 43a modulated by the carrier clock signal 41a is supplied.
Is supplied to the light projecting circuit 44 (FIG. 3d or e).

The light projecting circuit 44 comprises a light projecting element 45 such as an infrared light emitting diode, an npn transistor 46, and a constant current drive composed of a resistor network 47 as a sensitivity switching means for determining the light projecting current in the non-sensing state. Section.

The resistance circuit network 47 decodes the 4-bit data, which is the projection current designating information 85a supplied from the projection current designating means 8 to the resistance value designating input terminal 47a, into 16 and outputs 1
It is configured by a kind of D / A converter configured to select 6 resistance values. The resistance circuit network 47 is configured such that, when the projection current designation information 85a is expressed in a binary number, the resistance value decreases as the value increases.

The light receiving means 5 includes a light receiving element 51 such as a PIN photodiode or a phototransistor, and a first stage amplifier 52.
And a limiter circuit 53 and a band pass filter (BPF)
54, a detection circuit 55, and a waveform shaping circuit 56 are combined in a conventionally known configuration.

That is, the light receiving current of the light receiving element 51 is converted and amplified by the first stage amplifier 52 into a voltage signal according to the optical power of the light receiving element, and the output voltage is amplitude-limited by the limiter circuit 53 so that the signal levels become equal. , The signal of the carrier frequency component is extracted by the band pass filter (BPF) 54. Further, after being demodulated by the detection circuit 55 such as a diode, the output signal 5a of a predetermined logic level is output via the waveform shaping circuit 56.

The judgment circuit 7 includes a comparison reference signal input terminal 7a.
And the received signal 5a supplied to the received signal input terminal 7b are compared, and the input received signal 5a is synchronized with the intermittent projected clock signal 42a corresponding to the projected signal. When the pulse width of the received signal 5a is substantially equal to the pulse width of the intermittent light emitting clock signal 42a, the carrier clock signal 41a is, for example, a predetermined time after the rising time of the intermittent light emitting clock signal 42a.
The sensing output 7c of a predetermined time length at the same timing as
(see e), and otherwise outputs the non-sensing output 7d (see FIG. 3d) at the same timing.

The projecting current designating means 8 is a set / reset type flip-flop (hereinafter referred to as RS flip-flop) 81, standard sensitivity data setting means 82, insufficient sensitivity state determining means 83, and excessive sensitivity state determining means. 84 and a sensitivity switching control means 85.

The RS flip-flop 81 outputs a sensing output 7c to the set input terminal S while the user 6 and the like are being sensed.
Is supplied to the reset input terminal R, and a reflected light sensing state signal 81a is output from the output terminal Q by supplying a later-described non-sensing state determination signal 31a.

The standard sensitivity data setting means 82 stores standard sensitivity data consisting of 4-bit data, and outputs this data to the sensitivity switching control means 85 described later under a predetermined condition.

Insufficient sensitivity determination means 83 outputs non-sensing output 7
A timer (not shown) is provided to start timing when d is input and reset when the sensing output 7c is input.
When the timekeeping state has passed a preset time (for example, 4 hours), the sensitivity increase request command 83a is generated.

The excessive sensitivity state judging means 84 detects the sensing output 7c.
Is provided with a timer (not shown) for resetting when the non-sensing output 7d is input.
When the timekeeping state has passed a preset time (for example, 10 minutes), the sensitivity reduction request command 84a is generated.

The sensitivity switching control means 85 reads the data given from the standard sensitivity data setting means 82 when the power supply of the reflection type sensor 2 is turned on, and the read standard sensitivity setting information 85a is used as the projection current designation data to form the resistance circuit network 47.
Output to.

Upon receiving the sensitivity increase request command 83a, the sensitivity switching control means 85 increments the projection current designation information 85a consisting of 4-bit data currently output by 1 (however, it is limited so as not to exceed 15). To do.

When the sensitivity switching control means 85 receives the sensitivity reduction request command 84a, the projection current designating information 85a consisting of 4-bit data which is currently output is decremented by 1 (however, it does not become 0 or less. Restricted to). The sensitivity switching control means 85 having such a function is
For example, a 4-bit up / down counter having a preset function can be configured by using a flip-flop or the like.

The water supply control unit 3 comprises a water supply control means 31 for controlling water supply to a urinal or the like based on the sensing output 7c and the non-sensing output 7d from the sensing unit 2, and an on-off valve 32.
The on-off valve 32 has one end connected to the water supply pipe 33, and the other end connected to a urinal (not shown) via a washing water supply pipe 34.

The open / close valve 32 is a solenoid valve using a so-called latching solenoid as an actuator, which holds a pulsed current at the time of opening and closing the valve and holds the open or closed state by a spring force or a magnetic force of a permanent magnet. To do. An actuator that uses a piezoelectric element is provided instead of the solenoid valve that uses a latching solenoid, and the valve opening is changed each time an open or close pulse is applied, and the valve opening at that time is maintained in the non-energized state. A structured valve may be used.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing the operation of the water supply controller. As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c), the water supply control means 31 determines that the user is present when the sensing output 7c output from the determining circuit 7 continues for a certain period of time, and the non-sensing output 7d remains for a certain period of time. It is configured to judge that there is no user when continuing.

When the water supply control means 31 determines that there is a user, as shown in FIGS. 4 (e) to 4 (g), first, a valve opening pulse 31b is generated to open the opening / closing valve 32, and a preset minute time elapses. After that, the valve closing pulse 31c is generated and the pre-cleaning water supply before using the urinal is performed during this period.

After that, the water supply control means 31 opens the valve 31 when the judgment changes from the presence of the user to the absence of the user.
b is generated and the on-off valve 32 is opened for a predetermined time set in advance, and then a valve closing pulse 31c is generated to perform post-cleaning water supply. At the same time, the water supply control means 31 outputs the non-sensing state confirmation signal 31a shown in FIG. 3d.

With the above configuration, the water supply control device operates as follows. When the user is not detected, the reflected light sensing state signal 81a (RS in the projection current designating means 8)
The Q output of the flip-flop 81) is at the L level, and the selection circuit 4 is based on the reflected light sensing state signal 81a.
2 selects the intermittent light emission clock signal 41b at the time of non-sensing,
Light is modulated by the carrier clock signal 41a for each of the selected intermittent light emitting cycles T. At this time, the sensitivity switching control means 85 has the standard sensitivity setting data read from the standard sensitivity data setting means 82 as the projection current designating data, and the projection current of the projecting element 44 is selected by this projection current designating data. It is determined by the resistance value.

When the light receiving section 5 receives the reflected light and senses the presence of the user 6 or the like, the judgment circuit 7 outputs a sensing output 7c and R
The input terminal S of the -S flip-flop 81 is set to set the reflected light sensing state signal 81a, which is the Q output, to the H level.
As a result, the selection circuit 42 is switched to the intermittent light emission clock signal 41c at the time of sensing, and the sensing interval is shortened to T / 2.

At the same time, the sensing output 7c is also output to the insufficient sensitivity state judging means 83 and the excessive sensitivity state judging means 84, resets the timer of the insufficient sensitivity state judging means 83, and starts the timing of the excessive sensitivity state judging means 84. To do. Then, when this timekeeping state continues for a predetermined time or longer, the sensitivity reduction request command 84a is output and the projection current designation information 85 is output.
a is decreased by one step. Then, the emitter resistance value of the transistor 46 increases, so that the transistor 4
The collector current of 6 becomes small, and the light emitting current flowing through the light emitting element 45 also becomes small, so that the sensing sensitivity is lowered.

When the user leaves, the non-sensing output 7d is output and the non-sensing state confirmation signal 31a is output from the water supply control means 31.
To reset the RS flip-flop 81 to Q
The reflected light sensing state signal 81a, which is the output, is set to the L level. As a result, the selection circuit 42 is switched to the intermittent light emitting clock signal 41b at the time of non-sensing, and the sensing interval becomes T.

At the same time, the non-sensing output 7d is also output to the insufficient sensitivity state determining means 83 and the excessive sensitivity state determining means 84, resets the timer of the excessive sensitivity state determining means 84, and measures the time of the insufficient sensitivity state determining means 83. Start. Then, when this timekeeping state continues for a predetermined time or longer, the sensitivity increase request command 83a is output and the projection current designation information 85 is output.
Increase a by one step. Then, the emitter resistance value of the transistor 46 becomes smaller, so that the transistor 4
The collector current of 6 increases, the projection current flowing through the projection element 45 also increases, and the sensing sensitivity increases.

The water supply control section 3 performs pre-wash water supply when the sensing output 7c detects that the user 6 or the like is approaching, and the post-washing water when it is detected that the user 6 or the like has left by the non-sensing output 7d. Supply water. Note that the pre-wash water supply may not be performed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a water supply controller according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. This second embodiment is the same as the first
The standard sensitivity state returning means 86 is added to the configuration of the embodiment, and the standard sensitivity state returning means 86 is provided with a timer or the like that is reset when a sensitivity increase or decrease request command is input and starts counting, and a preset time. (For example, 8 hours)
The standard sensitivity state return command 86a (pulse signal) is generated when the time elapses.

Further, the sensitivity switching control means 85 is configured to set the standard sensitivity data stored in the standard sensitivity data setting means 82 when receiving the return command 86a. Therefore, the other operation is the same as that of the above-mentioned embodiment.

In addition to varying the emitter resistance value by the resistance network 47, the voltage supplied to the anode of the infrared light emitting diode, which is the light projecting element 45, may be varied based on the light projecting current designation information 85a. npn transistor 46
The base voltage of 1 may be varied.

In the above two embodiments, the configuration examples using the individual parts are shown, but the standard sensitivity data setting means, the insufficient sensitivity state determining means, the excessive sensitivity state determining means, the determining circuit, etc. have their functions. For example, it may be realized by stored program control using a 4-bit 1-chip microcomputer.

In the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, examples using infrared light are shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and similar means and effects can be obtained by using other means such as ultrasonic waves. You can

[0051]

As described above, the reflection type sensor of the water supply control device according to the present invention can automatically increase or decrease the sensing sensitivity according to the surrounding conditions, and therefore does not require any adjustment work at the time of installation and can be installed. It is possible to reduce maintenance work due to a decrease in sensitivity of the sensor later. Further, since the sensitivity is changed by increasing or decreasing the light projecting current, the amount of noise generated by the light receiving means does not change, and therefore the occurrence of false detection due to noise can be reduced.

Further, when the state in which the sensitivity is changed continues for a predetermined time, the initial sensitivity is restored, so that when the object is temporarily placed in the sensing area in the standard sensitivity state and then removed, Even if the sensitivity is set to an extremely low or high level in a special situation such as when a semi-transparent paper is temporarily attached to the light emitting part, it can be returned to an appropriate sensitivity after a predetermined time. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a water supply control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of a water supply control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the operation of the light projecting means.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing the operation of the water supply control unit.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional reflective sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Water supply control device, 2 ... Reflective sensor, 3 ... Water supply control part, 4 ... Light projecting means, 5 ... Light receiving means, 6 ... User, 7 ... Judgment circuit, 8 ... Projection current designating means, 31 ... Water supply Control means,
32 ... On-off valve, 33 ... Water supply pipe, 34 ... Washing water supply pipe, 41
... clock generating circuit, 42 ... selection circuit, 43 ... AND circuit, 44 ... light emitting circuit, 45 ... light emitting element, 46 ... transistor, 47 ... resistor circuit network, 51 ... light receiving element, 52 ... first stage amplifier, 53 ... limiter Circuit, 54 ... band pass filter (BPF), 55 ... detection circuit, 56 ... waveform shaping circuit, 8
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Set / reset type flip-flop (RS flip-flop), 82 ... Standard sensitivity data setting means, 83
... sensitivity deficit state determination means, 84 ... sensitivity deficit state determination means, 85 ... sensitivity switching control means, 86 ... standard sensitivity state restoration means.

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Miki Ueki 2-1-1 Nakajima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture Totoki Equipment Co., Ltd. (72) Tomohiro Nishi Nishi 2-1-1, Nakajima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka No. 1 Totoki Equipment Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A water supply control device having a reflection type sensor for detecting the reflected light of the light projected from the light projecting means by the light receiving means to detect the presence or absence of a user, wherein the reflection type sensor has a multi-step sensing sensitivity. Sensitivity switching means, a sensitivity insufficient condition determination means for generating a sensitivity increase request command when the non-sensing state continues for a preset time, and a sensitivity switching control means for increasing the sensitivity by one step based on the sensitivity increase request command. And a water supply control device. 2. A water supply control device having a reflection type sensor for detecting the reflected light of the light projected from the light projecting means by the light receiving means to detect the presence or absence of a user, wherein the reflection type sensor has a multi-stage sensing sensitivity. A sensitivity switching means for switching to, a sensitivity excess state determination means for generating a sensitivity reduction request command when the sensing state continues for a preset time, and a sensitivity switching control means for reducing the sensitivity by one step based on the sensitivity reduction request command. A water supply control device comprising: 3. The water supply control device according to claim 1, wherein the sensitivity switching control means changes the light projecting current of the light projecting element. 4. The standard sensitivity state returning means for generating a return command to the standard sensitivity state when the state in which the sensitivity is changed continues for a preset time, according to claim 1 or 2. Water supply control device.