JPH0751192B2 - Electric iron - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to an electric iron, and in particular, to an attitude detecting device for detecting the attitude of the iron in a horizontal state or in an independent state. Regarding electric iron.

(Prior Art) Generally, when an electric iron is left in a horizontal state for a long time while the power is on, there is a problem that the cloth is burned or a fire is caused in some cases.

For this reason, conventionally, a use state output device is provided as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and (b) and FIGS. 4 (a) and (b),
It is known that the iron is turned off when it is detected that the iron is left in a horizontal state for a certain period of time. That is, as shown in FIG. 1 (a), this type of device outputs a state of use in a handle body 2 of an iron which is composed of a base 1 having a heater and a handle body 2 provided on the base 1. The device 3 is housed, and this usage state output device 3
As shown in FIG. 2B, a light-emitting diode 6, which is a light-emitting element, and a light-emitting diode 6 which are light-emitting elements are provided below the sphere receiving portion 5 via a sphere receiving portion 5 in which the sphere 4 is movably accommodated. Phototransistors 7, which are light receiving elements for receiving the light from 6, are arranged facing each other.

In this case, when the iron is installed horizontally in a non-use state, the sphere 4 is set in the lower part of the sphere receiving portion 5 as shown in FIG. 3 (b), and the light from the light emitting diode 6 is blocked. The phototransistor 7 does not receive light, and if this state continues for about 1 minute, the power is turned off. On the other hand, if the iron is installed in a self-supporting state, the sphere 4
As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the light from the light emitting diode 6 is received by the phototransistor 7 at the position shown in the spherical body receiving portion 5, and the power is turned off if this state is continued for, for example, about 10 minutes. become. In this way, depending on whether or not the light from the light emitting diode 6 is received by the phototransistor 7, in other words, “ON” of the phototransistor 7,
By "OFF", the posture of the iron in the horizontal state is detected.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, FIG. 3 (a) (b) and FIG. 4 (a) (b)
In the case shown in (1), the output of the phototransistor 7 is not completely "ON" or "OFF". Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a voltage comparison circuit 9 is provided in the input stage of the microcomputer 8 so that the microcomputer 8 turns “ON” or “OFF”, that is, “1” or “0”. Before determining "," the output of the phototransistor 7 is shaped into perfect "1" and "0" by the voltage comparison circuit 9.

In FIG. 5, the usage status output device 3 connects the light emitting diode 6 to the power source VD via the resistor 10, the phototransistor 7 to the power source VD via the resistor 11, and outputs the phototransistor 7 to the resistor 12. Output through. On the other hand, the voltage comparison circuit 9 inputs the output of the phototransistor 7 to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 13, and connects the non-inverting input terminal to the reference power source VF via the resistor 14 and grounds it via the resistor 15. The output of the operational amplifier 13 is input to the microcomputer 8 and is also fed back to the non-inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier 13 via the resistor 16. 17 is an operational amplifier
A capacitor connected between the forward and reverse input terminals of 13, and 18 a resistor.

However, in such a device, there is a problem that the device becomes complicated and large due to the provision of the voltage comparison circuit 9, and the cost becomes high.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electric iron equipped with a cost-effective posture detecting device that can reliably detect the posture of the iron in a horizontal state or an independent state without making the device complicated and large. To provide.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, an electric iron according to the present invention moves a sphere inside a light emitting element and a light receiving element for receiving light from the light emitting element. A usage status output device, which is arranged via a freely-storing sphere receiving part and is stored in the handle body, and an analog / digital converter that converts the analog output from the light receiving element of this usage status output device into a corresponding digital value. A comparison process for comparing the magnitude relationship between the conversion means and the digital value from the analog / digital conversion means with a predetermined set value, and based on the comparison result, a comparison process for determining the attitude of the iron in the horizontal state or the independent state. It is characterized in that it is provided with a posture detecting device comprising means and a microcomputer.

(Operation) In the above electric iron, the light from the light emitting element is blocked by the sphere when the iron is installed horizontally, and the light from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element when the iron is installed in a self-supporting state. . Then, the analog output from this light receiving element is introduced into a microcomputer and converted into a digital value by an analog / digital conversion means, and this digital value is further compared with a set value which is a predetermined attitude determination standard and a comparison processing means. The size relationship is compared. In this case, since the output value from the light receiving element, that is, the digital value is different depending on whether the iron is in the horizontal state or the self-standing state, it is possible to determine the posture of the iron in the horizontal state or the self-standing state from the comparison result of the two. .

(Examples) The present invention will be described below with reference to the examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a posture detection device applied to an electric iron according to the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Only mention.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the voltage comparing circuit 9 is omitted and the phototransistor 7 of the usage state output device 3 is omitted.
The output from is input directly to the microcomputer 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the microcomputer 20 has an input port 21 for inputting an analog output from the phototransistor 7 and an analog / digital converter for converting the analog output input by the input port 21 into a corresponding digital value. (Hereinafter referred to as an A / D converter) 22, a memory 23 in which a program for detecting the posture of the iron and a set value that serves as a reference for the posture determination are stored, and an A in accordance with the program in the memory 23 A comparison processing unit 24 that compares the magnitude relationship between the digital value from the / D converter 22 and the set value in the memory 23 and determines the attitude of the iron in the horizontal state or the independent state based on the comparison result, and this comparison It is composed of an output port 25 for outputting the determination result of the processing unit 24. Here, the program for detecting the attitude of the iron sets the determination standard so that the digital value is in a horizontal state when the digital value is equal to or more than the set value and is in the independent state when the digital value is less than the set value.

Next, the operation of the electric iron provided with the posture detecting device configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the iron is left in a horizontal state as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the sphere 4 is positioned as shown in FIG. 3 (b), so that the light from the light emitting diode 6 is blocked by the sphere 4. The phototransistor 7 receives almost no light and is in the "OFF" state. Therefore, in this case, the voltage signal of the power supply VD is output to the microcomputer 20 with almost the same magnitude.

In the microcomputer 20, the attitude detection signal is input from the input port 21 in step S1, and the signal is converted into a digital value by the A / D converter 22 in step S2. Next, in step S3, the comparison processing unit 24 determines whether or not the digital value is equal to or larger than the set value stored in the memory 23. In this case, the digital value is greater than or equal to the set value (VD), so the process proceeds to step S4,
It is determined whether or not the digital value was also the set value or more last time. As a result, if the previous value was also the set value or more, it is determined in step S5 that the iron is in the horizontal state, and the determination result is output through the output port 25. If the digital value was not equal to or more than the set value last time in step S4, it is determined in step S8 that the iron attitude has changed from the independent state to the horizontal state, and the determination result is output through the output port 25. .

Next, when the iron is left in a self-supporting state as shown in FIG. 4 (a), the sphere 4 is positioned as shown in FIG. 4 (b), so that the light from the light emitting diode 6 is emitted by the phototransistor 7. Almost all the light is received and it is in the “ON” state. Therefore, in this case, the voltage signal of the power source VD is grounded, and its magnitude is output to the microcomputer 20 as being substantially zero.

In the microcomputer 20, as in the above, step S1
At the input port 21, the attitude detection signal is input,
In step S2, the A / D converter 22 converts the signal into a digital value. Next, in step S3, the comparison processing unit 24 determines whether or not the digital value is equal to or larger than the set value stored in the memory 23. In this case, since the digital value is less than the set value (nearly zero), the process proceeds to step S6, and it is determined whether the digital value was also less than the set value last time. As a result, when the previous time is also less than the set value, it is determined in step S7 that the iron is in the self-supporting state, and the determination result is output through the output port 25. If the digital value was not less than the set value last time in step S6, it is determined in step S8 that the posture of the iron has changed from the horizontal state to the independent state, and the determination result is the output port 25.
Is output through.

As described above, the posture detecting device provided in the electric iron of this embodiment has the sphere receiving portion 5 in which the light emitting diode 6 and the phototransistor 7 are movably housed in the sphere 4.
The use state output device 3 arranged opposite to each other is housed in the handle body 2 of the iron, and the analog output from the phototransistor 7 of the use state output device 3 is directly input to the microcomputer 20. Inside
The comparison processing unit 24 compares the magnitude relationship between the value obtained by converting the analog output to a digital value by the A / D converter 22 and the preset setting value of the posture determination standard, and the iron is leveled based on the comparison result. It is not necessary to shape the output of the phototransistor 7 into perfect "1" and "0" because the posture of the state or the self-standing state is determined. Therefore, it becomes possible to omit the voltage comparison circuit conventionally provided in the input stage of the microcomputer, and thereby, the device is not complicated and large in size, and the cost is not increased, and the ironing is performed. It is possible to reliably detect the posture of whether the robot is horizontal or independent. When the iron is in an intermediate posture between the horizontal state and the self-standing state, the phototransistor 7 outputs an intermediate value between zero volt and the power supply VD voltage.
By changing the set value in the memory 23, it is possible to arbitrarily select a determination criterion of the posture in which it is regarded as an independent state from the self-standing to a certain inclination and is regarded as a horizontal state when it is further inclined.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the analog output from the light receiving element is directly input to the microcomputer, and the analog / digital conversion means in the microcomputer converts the analog output into a digital value. The attitude of the iron is determined by comparing the magnitude relationship with a predetermined set value by the comparison processing means. Therefore, whether the iron is in the horizontal state or the self-standing state without making the device complicated and large. It is possible to provide an electric iron equipped with a posture detecting device that is capable of reliably detecting the posture of the robot and is inexpensive in terms of cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a posture detection device applied to an electric iron according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in the embodiment, and FIG. 3 (a) is an iron. Fig. 3 (b), side view of the horizontal installation
Is a partial plan view showing the position of the sphere at that time, FIG. 4 (a)
Is a side view when the iron is installed in a self-supporting state, FIG. 4 (b) is a partial plan view showing the position of the sphere at that time, and FIG. 5 shows an example of a conventional attitude detection device applied to an electric iron. It is a block diagram. 1 ... Base, 2 ... Handle, 3 ... Usage status output device, 4 ...
Sphere, 5 ... Sphere receiving part, 6 ... Light emitting diode, 7 ... Phototransistor, 20 ... Microcomputer, 21 ... Input port, 22 ... A / D converter, 23 ... Memory, 24 ... Comparison processing part, 25 ... Output port.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electric iron comprising a base having a heater and a handle provided on the base, wherein a light emitting element and a light receiving element for receiving light from the light emitting element have a spherical body inside. The usage state output device, which is arranged via a sphere receiving portion that is movably accommodated and is accommodated in the handle body, and the analog output from the light receiving element of the usage state output device is converted into a corresponding digital value. Analog / digital conversion means, and this analog / digital
A microcomputer provided with a comparison processing means for comparing the magnitude relationship between a digital value from the digital converting means and a preset setting value, and for determining the attitude of the iron in the horizontal state or the independent state based on the comparison result. An electric iron, comprising an attitude detection device comprising: