JP4571889B2 - Leak detector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a leak detection device that instantly detects a liquid such as oil or water that travels on a surface to notify a leak.

  Conventionally, for example, a leak sensor has been used to prevent oil leakage from a hydraulic cylinder used as an actuator for various devices, and oil leaking into the device from entering the chamber and causing product damage. ing.

  FIG. 4 shows the principle of a conventional leak sensor. That is, the pair of electrodes 20 and 21 are connected to the power source 22 and the relay 23, and when the two electrodes 20 and 21 are conducted by the liquid leakage 24, an output is output from the relay 23 to detect that there is liquid leakage. .

As described above, there is a liquid leakage detection apparatus in which a pair of electrodes are formed on a surface portion of a flexible substrate as an apparatus using electrodes for liquid leakage detection (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-168724 A

  In the liquid leakage detection apparatus as shown in FIG. 4, a liquid leakage is detected by flowing a current between the electrodes 20 and 21. However, when a flammable liquid is detected, a small current flows through the liquid leakage portion. There was room for improvement in terms of safety.

According to the present invention, the irradiates a guide member is placed on the detection surface, vertically movable is provided in the guide member, a float that is placed on the surface to be detected, the light to the float a distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor for detecting light reflected from the float, actuated by the detection output of the distance limiting reflective photoelectric sensor, and a notification unit for notifying a leak in the detected face, the guide member And a spacer for disposing the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor at a position where the reflected light from the float does not reach in the absence of liquid leakage, between the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor and the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor A leak detection device is provided.

  In the liquid leakage detection device of the present invention, when liquid leakage occurs and the liquid flows into the detection surface, the float is raised by the liquid, and the distance between the float and the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor is reduced. When this distance is within the range to which the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor is sensitive, the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor is turned on, and the notification unit is activated by the output to notify the liquid leakage.

  According to the present invention, since a current does not flow through the liquid leakage portion by using the distance limited reflection type photoelectric sensor, a highly safe liquid leakage detection device can be obtained.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a leak detection apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the leak detection apparatus.

The liquid leakage detection apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a guide member 2 placed on the detection surface 9, a float 3 provided on the guide member 2 so as to be movable up and down, and placed on the detection surface 9, and the float 3. A distance limited reflection type photoelectric sensor 5 that irradiates light and detects reflected light from the float 3, and an alarm 8 serving as a notification unit that is activated by the detection output of the distance limited reflection type photoelectric sensor 5.
The liquid leakage detection device includes a plate-shaped guide member 2 formed so that a planar circular guide hole 1 having a notch portion 1a at one end of the left and right extends in the vertical direction, and the guide hole 1 is movable in the vertical direction. A float 3 as a detection object to be guided, a spacer 4 fixed on the upper surface of the guide member 2, and a distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5 attached on the spacer 4 are provided. The distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5 is connected to a sensor amplifier 7 via a fiber cable 6, and the sensor amplifier 7 is connected to an alarm 8.

  The guide member 2 is formed with the plate surface facing up and down, and is placed on the upper surface of the substantially flat detected surface 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the float 3 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that fits into the guide hole 1. The spacer 4 is formed between the guide member 2 and the distance limited reflection type photoelectric sensor 5 so that the distance limited reflection type photoelectric sensor 5 is disposed at a position where the reflected light from the float 3 does not reach in a state without liquid leakage. Is intervening.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the detection distance between the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5 and the float 3 is determined by the spacer 4. As shown in the figure, when the detection range of the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5 is, for example, 0 to 10 mm, the detection distance H between the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5 and the float 3 is slightly larger than 10 mm. The spacer 4 is dimensioned to 11 mm. In this example, when the thickness h of the float 3 is 3 mm and the thickness T of the guide member 2 is 8 mm, the thickness t of the spacer 4 may be 6 mm. In the state of FIG. 1, the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5 is OFF, and the leakage is monitored.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view of the liquid leakage detection device showing the operation at the time of liquid leakage.
As shown in FIG. 3, when liquid leaks and liquid flows into the surface to be detected 9 such as the floor surface, the float 3 is raised by the liquid, and the distance between the float 3 and the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5 is reduced. To do. When the float 3 floats 1 mm, the detection distance H becomes 10 mm. At that time, the reflective photoelectric sensor 5 is turned on, and the signal is transmitted to the sensor amplifier 7 through the fiber cable 6, and the buzzer of the alarm 8 or Light leak is notified by flashing light.

  As described above, by using the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5, only the amount of light of the red LED changes at the time of leakage, and the light also passes through the fiber cable 6 to the far away sensor amplifier 7. In addition, since no spark is generated at the leaked portion, the safety is high, and the float 3 operates even with a small amount of liquid leaking along the detection surface 9, so that the detection accuracy is high and complicated. Since it does not have a mechanism, it is inexpensive.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, these are illustrations of this invention and can employ | adopt various structures other than the above.

  For example, the spacer 4 may not be used as long as a detection distance H that does not detect the float 3 can be secured between the float 3 and the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 5. However, by using the spacer 4, it is possible to cope with various distance limited reflective photoelectric sensors having different detection ranges.

  In the above embodiment, the alarm 8 is used as the notification unit. However, for example, the display part of the liquid leakage detection device is used as the notification part, and the display part displays that liquid leakage has occurred. The configuration of the notification unit is arbitrary as long as the leakage of the detected surface 9 is notified.

It is a partially cutaway side view of a leak detection device showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of a leak detection apparatus. It is a partially cutaway side view of the liquid leakage detection device showing the operation at the time of liquid leakage. It is explanatory drawing of the conventional leak detection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 Guide hole 1a Notch 2 Guide member 3 Float 4 Spacer 5 Distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor 6 Fiber cable 7 Sensor amplifier 8 Alarm 9 Detected surface

Claims (1)

A guide member placed on the detection surface;
A float provided on the guide member so as to be movable up and down, and placed on the detection surface;
A distance-limited reflective photoelectric sensor that irradiates light to the float and detects reflected light from the float;
An alarm unit that operates according to the detection output of the distance-limited reflective photoelectric sensor, and notifies the leakage on the detected surface ;
Between the guide member and the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor, a spacer is disposed to place the distance limited reflective photoelectric sensor at a position where the reflected light from the float does not reach in the absence of liquid leakage. A leak detection device characterized by the above.

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