Fluid handling – Ambient condition change responsive – Burner gas cutoff
Patent
1986-06-09
1988-11-29
Rivell, John
Fluid handling
Ambient condition change responsive
Burner gas cutoff
137554, F16K 1736
Patent
active
047874104
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a gas shut-off system for prevention of explosive accidents caused by town gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and the like, and in particular to a gas shut-off system comprising a control unit including a microcomputer whereby a shut-off valve is automatically closed in response to detection of abnormal conditions such as gas leak which is made by the aid of a gas flow rate sensor, and using a battery as a power supply.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
Town gas and LP gas are being widely used as an energy source for cooking, heating, hot-water supply, or the like. However, if there is any failure of handling, these gases explode and cause a great accident. On the other hand, recently high altitude and airtight houses have caused the neighborhood to suffer damage from the gas accident. Therefore, putting the safety provision and gas device for prevention of the gas accidents to practical use should be early achieved in view of social conditions.
For prevention of the gas accidents, fuse cocks, reinforced gas hoses, town gas alarm devices, shut-off systems associated with alarm devices, and the like have been hitherto employed. These have not been spread to existing houses because of troublesome installation and are not necessarily effective for explosive accidents with suicidal intent which account for most of the accidents.
Of the causes of gas accidents, short-time great amount discharge of raw gas resulting from the separation of a pipe from a gas cock or the intentional opening of a gas cock and abnormal heating or oxygen deficiency resulting from the forgetting of turning-off of gas equipment important factors for the accidents, the accidents with suicidal intent relating to the former.
In these accidents, the flow rate pattern such as that gas flow rate and continuous time of flow rate becomes abnormal as compared with the normal conditions. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a wide range of gas accident including the accident with suicidal intent by automatically shutting off the gas main when the gas flow rate pattern becomes abnormal. Furthermore, the installation can be improved by combining the system therefor with a gas meter.
The estimation of pattern of use, comparison with an abnormal pattern, and the like can be realized by means of a microcomputer.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is particularly to provide a long-life use for a battery used as a power supply in a system for previously preventing explosive accidents caused by gas such as town gas and LP gas used as an energy source for cooking, heating, hot-water supply in a house. A gas shut-off system according to the present invention includes a microcomputer programmed in terms of, for example, explosive limit to shut off the discharging of gas before the occurrence of gas explosion by the computation based on gas flow rate and discharge time. Also included in view of workability is a battery as a power source. Therefore, a gas shut-off system according to the present invention is arranged to minimize the consumption of the battery and to provide a long-time use of the battery.
In this system, a gas flow rate is detected by a flow rate sensor, and a microcomputer determines whether the flow rate pattern is normal or abnormal on the basis of the detection of the gas flow rate and actuates a shut-off valve to shut off the gas in response to the determination of abnormality. This system has greater ability for prevention of accidents as compared with conventional gas-accident preventing countermeasures. In addition, the system is combined with the gas meter, resulting in making it easy to install into existing houses and improving the workability.
This system comprises a lithium battery having excellent long-time reliability as a power source, a flow rate sensor having a reed switch, an exclusive CMOS 4-bit 1-chip microcomputer in which the consumption of current is low, an indicator including a LED and having an excellent visibility, and a self-hold type shut-off valv
REFERENCES:
patent: 3307613 (1967-03-01), Rexer
patent: 3955186 (1976-05-01), Green et al.
patent: 4262687 (1981-04-01), Kobayashi
Fujieda Hiroshi
Saka Tatsuo
Uno Takashi
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Rivell John
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