alarm

Abstract

The present invention provides an alarm equipped with a protective section that prevents particles and dust from entering the inside of the alarm. Specifically, it prevents particles such as insecticides that could cause false alarms from entering the main body of the device 100 through the horizontal hole 135. [Solution] The alarm has a horizontal hole 135 through which airflow passes, and includes a main unit 100 that detects a fire based on the airflow that flows into the interior from the horizontal hole 135, and a protective unit 200 that blocks the airflow by sealing at least the horizontal hole 135 from the outside, thereby preventing smoke particles and dust from entering the main unit 100 of the alarm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an alarm device. In particular, it relates to a cover for protecting the alarm device from particles and dust and the like.

Background Art

[0002] There is a sensor as a device for detecting heat, smoke, etc. generated inside a building such as a building. When installing such a sensor in a building, there is a dust-proof cover that is attached to cover the sensor until the interior construction is completed so that dust generated during work such as interior construction does not enter the sensor (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described sensor, the above-described dust-proof cover is removed when the construction is completed. Here, in an alarm device installed in a house or the like, for example, there are many opportunities to be exposed to dust such as cooking, smoke from a fumigant, and dust from cleaning. Therefore, even after the alarm device is installed, it is desired to protect it from dust and the like.

[0005] Therefore, an object of this invention is to obtain an alarm device that can be protected from particles and dust and the like.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The alarm device according to this invention includes a device main body portion that has a through-hole through which an air flow passes and performs fire detection based on the air flow that has flowed into the interior from the through-hole, and a protection portion that blocks at least the through-hole from the outside to block the air flow. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this invention, by providing a protective part that blocks the airflow by sealing the through-hole from the outside, the main body of the alarm device can be protected from smoke particles and dust as needed by sealing the through-hole with the protective part. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the configuration of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This figure shows the external appearance of the main unit 100 of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the internal configuration of the housing 121 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the main body 100 of the device, which has been cut along the BB line in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the protective unit 200 of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates another example of the protective unit 200 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 7] This figure illustrates another example of the protective unit 200 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the packaging state of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the configuration of the protection unit 200 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the configuration of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the configuration of the control circuit 151 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 12] This figure illustrates the process related to determining whether the protective cover 210 is open or closed in the switch determination unit 151B according to Embodiment 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following description of the alarm device according to the embodiment will be made with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, parts with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent and are common to the entire text of the embodiment described below. Also, the size relationships of each component in the drawings may differ from those of the actual components. Furthermore, the forms of the components shown in the entire specification are merely examples and are not limited to the forms described in the specification. In particular, the combinations of components are not limited to the combinations in each embodiment, and components described in other embodiments can be applied to other embodiments. Also, when there is no need to distinguish or specify multiple similar devices that are distinguished by subscripts, the subscripts may be omitted. Here, the alarm device is assumed to be installed indoors. The upper wall in the room is the ceiling, the lower wall is the floor, and the side wall is the side wall.

[0010] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 shows the configuration of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 1(a) shows the protective cover 210 (described later) in the open state, and Figure 1(b) shows the protective cover 210 in the closed state. Figure 2 shows the external appearance of the main body 100 of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 shows the main body 100 as viewed from the bottom of the page in Figure 1, along the direction of arrow Z. Figure 2 is a view excluding the protective part 200 (described later).

[0011] In Embodiment 1, the alarm device 10 is installed, for example, in a monitoring space such as the interior of a house. The alarm device 10 is a smoke-type alarm device that emits an alarm by voice or the like and notifies of a fire when detecting smoke. However, it is not limited to a smoke-type alarm device, and a heat-type alarm device that monitors the temperature around the installation position to detect a fire may also be used. Here, in Embodiment 1, the alarm device 10 will be described as being installed on the ceiling surface. Also, hereinafter, the arrow X direction represents the width direction of the alarm device 10, the arrow Y direction represents the depth direction, and the arrow Z direction represents the height direction. Also, in the alarm device 10, the ceiling side is described as the upper side and the floor side is described as the bottom side. As shown in FIG. 1, the alarm device 10 in Embodiment 1 includes a device main body part 100 and a protection part 200.

[0012] The device main body part 100 includes a base 110 and a detection part 120. The base 110 serves as a base material for attaching the detection part 120 to the wall surface. The detection part 120 has a cover 130 and a main body 140. The cover 130 is attached to the main body 140 to form a housing 121 of the detection part 120. The housing 121 is detachably attached to the base 110.

[0013] The cover 130 protects the devices installed in the housing 121 together with the main body 140. The cover 130 in Embodiment 1 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The cover 130 has a cylindrical cover side surface part 131, a disc-shaped cover bottom surface part 132, and a slit part 133 provided between the cover side surface part 131 and the cover bottom surface part 132. The cover side surface part 131 surrounds the outer periphery of the main body 140.

[0014] The cover bottom surface part 132 is arranged to face the lower surface 141 (see FIG. 3) of the main body 140 part. And the cover bottom surface part 132 has a button hole 132A for exposing a pushing member 137 from the cover bottom surface part 132. The pushing member 137 is a member for a user to perform an operation of turning on and off a substrate switch 152 inside the device main body part 100 described later.

[0015] The slit portion 133 has a plurality of support columns 134 extending in the Z arrow direction. The support columns 134 support the cover bottom surface portion 132. Between the support columns 134, there is a horizontal hole 135 which is a through hole opened so as to extend in the circumferential direction of the cover 130. Here, the horizontal hole 135 in the first embodiment is partitioned into two stages by a partition member 136. The horizontal hole 135 serves as a sensing window through which the air flow flows into the space inside the alarm 10.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the configuration inside the housing 121 in the alarm 10 according to the first embodiment. Further, FIG. 4 is a view of the device main body portion 100 cut along the line B-B in FIG. 3 as seen from the side. As shown in FIG. 3, the alarm 10 includes a speaker 170, a battery 180 serving as a power source of the alarm 10, and an intermediate plate 190 inside the housing 121. The main body 140 is provided below the base 110 and is a part of the housing 121. Further, the main body 140 is formed in a disc shape, and a circuit board 150 on which various electronic components are mounted is provided. The space inside the housing 121 surrounded by the main body 140 and the cover 130 becomes a circulation space through which the air flow from the horizontal hole 135 circulates.

[0017] A battery 180 serving as a power source of the alarm 10 is housed between the base 110 and the main body 140. Further, the circuit board 150 and the speaker 170 are provided on the floor side of the main body 140, and an intermediate plate 190 is disposed below the circuit board 150 and the speaker 170. The speaker 170 is a notification means that emits sound based on a signal sent from a control circuit 151 included in the circuit board 150 and performs notification such as an alarm as will be described later.

[0018] The main body 140 has a board installation portion 142 that forms a space for housing the circuit board 150 and a battery housing portion 143 that forms a space for housing the battery 180. The board installation portion 142 is a wall portion formed along the shape of the circuit board 150 so as to protrude toward the cover bottom surface portion 132 side, and the circuit board 150 is housed such that the edge of the circuit board 150 faces the board installation portion 142. Further, the battery housing portion 143 houses, for example, a cylindrical battery 180. A terminal 144 is installed in the battery housing portion 143.

[0019] The circuit board 150 has a control circuit 151. The control circuit 151 operates on power supplied from the battery 180. When the control circuit 151 determines that scattered light is being generated based on the smoke signal detected by the smoke detection unit 160 (described later), it outputs a fire signal to the speaker 170. The circuit board 150 also has a circuit board switch 152 that detects when the push member 137 is pressed. The circuit board switch 152 is a switch that the user can use to stop the sound from the speaker 170, test the alarm 10, etc. Here, the circuit board switch 152 is assumed to be a tactile switch that switches mechanically. However, the type of switch is not limited. For example, the circuit board switch 152 may be a capacitive switch that switches on and off based on a change in capacitance.

[0020] The smoke detection unit 160 has a light-emitting element (not shown) that irradiates the incoming airflow with infrared light and a light-receiving element (not shown). The light-receiving element sends a smoke signal based on the amount of light it receives to the control circuit 151. If smoke particles are present in the airflow, the infrared light irradiated by the light-emitting element is scattered by the particles, and the amount of light received by the light-receiving element changes.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the protective part 200 in Embodiment 1 has a protective cover 210 and a hinge 220. Here, the protective part 200 in Figure 1 is illustrated in a way that makes its shape, including the thickness of the protective cover 210, easier to see (the same applies to the following figures).

[0022] The protective cover 210, when closed and placed over the detection unit 120 after the alarm 10 has been installed on the ceiling or the like, blocks the horizontal hole 135 from the outside, preventing dust and other particles from entering the detection unit 120 along with the airflow, thus protecting the detection unit 120. In particular, the protective cover 210 can cover the detection unit 120 to prevent false fire detection due to smoke particles entering through the horizontal hole 135 when pest control in a room is performed using a fumigant for insecticidal purposes. Here, the protective cover 210 is constructed at a height such that when attempting to rotate the hinge 220 180° from the closed position, the rotation is not obstructed by the ceiling surface. The protective cover 210 also has a claw 211 that hooks onto the main body 140 when closed to lock it in place and maintain the closed position.

[0023] Furthermore, the hinge 220 rotatably connects the protective cover 210 to the housing 121 around the rotation axis 221. Here, the hinge 220 has, for example, a locking groove (not shown) formed therein, which can lock the protective cover 210 at a predetermined angle and hold it in the open position. For example, the protective cover 210 can be held in a position rotated 180° from the closed position.

[0024] Here, after the alarm 10 is installed, the protective cover 210 is normally kept open so that the detection unit 120 can detect a fire. Then, as mentioned above, when it is not necessary to allow the detection unit 120 to detect smoke, the protective cover 210 is closed.

[0025] The material for the protective part 200 may be, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, it is not particularly limited. Although it is described as being a transparent material, it may also be translucent or colored.

[0026] As described above, the alarm device 10 in Embodiment 1 has a protective cover 210 that is attached to the main body 100 of the device via a hinge 220 so as to be openable and closable. Therefore, even after construction work is completed, detection can be performed with the protective cover 210 open without removing it, and the main body 100 of the alarm device 10 can be protected from smoke particles and dust by closing the protective cover 210 as needed.

[0027] Embodiment 2. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the protective section 200 of the alarm 10 according to Embodiment 2. The shape of the protective cover 210 of the alarm 10 shown in Figure 5 differs from that of the alarm 10 in Embodiment 1. The protective cover 210 in Figure 5 has a greater height in the direction of arrow Z than the protective cover 210 in Embodiment 1. In this way, as long as the protective cover 210 can cover the main body 100 (especially the horizontal hole 135 in the detection section 120) and protect the alarm 10 from particles and dust, the protective cover 210 does not need to conform to the shape of the main body 100 (especially the cover 130). Also, since the horizontal hole 135 of the slit section 133 is provided on the side of the cover 130, the bottom surface of the protective cover 210 is not necessary when protecting from particles and dust.

[0028] Figure 6 illustrates another example of the protective section 200 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 2. The alarm device 10 in Figure 6 has a configuration that includes a sliding section 222 that allows the hinge 220 to slide in the direction of arrow Z, as shown in Figure 6(a). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(b), the protective cover 210 can be folded in the direction of arrow Z. Therefore, when the protective cover 210 is open, it does not obstruct the airflow and does not interfere with detection. In addition, making the protective section 200 smaller improves its appearance.

[0029] Figure 7 illustrates another example of the protective section 200 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 2. The protective section 200 shown in Figure 7 has a protective wall 230 that is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a bellows-like structure on its side that allows it to expand and contract. Here, the cylindrical bottom surface of the protective wall 230 is open. In the alarm device 10 shown in Figure 7, the detection section 120 in the main body 100 has a horizontal hole 135 in the circumferential direction on the side surface of the cover 130. Therefore, in order to prevent dust and other particles from flowing into the space inside the main body 100 through the horizontal hole 135, it is effective to simply cover the side surface of the detection section 120.

[0030] Therefore, in Embodiment 2, the protective wall 230 has an open cylindrical bottom and its sides are configured in an expandable and contractible bellows shape, so that under normal circumstances (when the alarm 10 is detecting something), the protective wall 230 is in a retracted state. Then, for example, when it is necessary to protect from particles and dust, as shown in Figure 7, the protective wall 230 is extended to cover the horizontal hole 135, so that dust and other particles do not flow into the space inside the main body 100 of the device. In this way, by configuring the protective part 200 with the protective wall 230, the protective wall 230 is extended when covering the horizontal hole 135 and retracted under normal circumstances, so as not to interfere with the detection of the alarm 10. In addition, by retracting the protective wall 230, it can be made less conspicuous and improve the appearance.

[0031] Embodiment 3. Figure 8 shows the packaging state of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 3. In Figure 8, the inner packaging box 300 is a box that houses one alarm device 10. The outer packaging box 400 is a box that houses multiple inner packaging boxes 300.

[0032] In Embodiments 1 and 2, the protective cover 210 of the protective section 200 in the alarm 10 was described as protecting the main body 100 (especially the detection section 120) from smoke particles and dust after installation.

[0033] In Embodiment 3, as shown in Figure 8, the protective part 200 (particularly the protective lid 210) functions as a cushioning member to protect the alarm 10 (particularly the main body 100) from impact within the inner packaging box 300 used for transport. Since the protective part 200 functions as a cushioning member for the alarm 10 within the inner packaging box 300, there is no need to provide an additional cushioning member, thus reducing costs.

[0034] As described above, in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 3, the protective section 200 can protect not only from dust and debris after installation, but also from impacts during transport before installation, protecting the main body 100 of the alarm device 10. For example, the bellows-shaped protective wall 230 shown in Figure 7, described in Embodiment 2, can be expected to have a high impact absorption effect.

[0035] Embodiment 4. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the protective section 200 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 4. As mentioned above, unlike the sensor, the alarm device 10 is equipped with a battery 180 and operates by power supplied from the battery 180. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9(a), the alarm device 10 in Embodiment 4 has an insulating film 240 in the protective section 200 that acts as an insulator to block the flow of electricity. The insulating film 240 and the cover 130 are bonded together at the adhesive section 241.

[0036] During the transport and installation phases, and other stages prior to using the alarm device 10, an insulating film 240 is placed between the terminal 144 on the circuit board 150 and the battery 180, as shown in Figure 9(b), thereby electrically insulating the control circuit 151 of the circuit board 150 from the battery 180. When using the alarm device 10, opening the protective cover 210 removes the insulating film 240 between the terminal 144 and the battery 180, electrically connecting the terminal 144 and the battery 180, supplying power to the control circuit 151, and starting the alarm device 10 to operate.

[0037] As described above, in Embodiment 4, the protective unit 200 has an insulating film 240 on the protective cover 210, and the insulating film 240 is sandwiched between the battery 180 and the terminal 144 when the protective cover 210 is closed. The insulating film 240 can be removed by opening the protective cover 210. Therefore, the user does not need to insert the battery 180 when starting use.

[0038] Embodiment 5. The alarm 10 described in Embodiments 1 to 4 has a protective section 200, which closes the protective cover 210 when, for example, a fumigant is used. However, if the protective cover 210 is left closed, airflow will not enter the horizontal hole 135, making it impossible to detect a fire. Therefore, the alarm 10 according to Embodiment 5 is designed to alert the user if the protective cover 210 is left open.

[0039] Figure 10 shows the configuration of the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 5. In Figure 10, the devices and components that have the same reference numerals as in Figure 1 perform the same functions as those described in Embodiment 1. The alarm device 10 of Embodiment 5 shown in Figure 10 has a projection 212 on the protective cover 210. When the protective cover 210 is closed, the projection 212 presses the push member 137 and also presses the circuit board switch 152.

[0040] Figure 11 shows the configuration of the control circuit 151 in the alarm device 10 according to Embodiment 5. The control circuit 151 has a smoke detection unit 151A, a switch determination unit 151B, and a timer unit 151C. The smoke detection unit 151A determines whether a fire has occurred based on the smoke signal sent from the smoke detection unit 160 and outputs a fire signal to the speaker 170. The timer unit 151C performs timing. The switch determination unit 151B determines the time the circuit board switch 152 has been pressed continuously based on the timing of the timer unit 151C, and if the circuit board switch 152 has been pressed for a set time or longer, it performs notification processing by outputting an unopened signal to the speaker 170.Here, notification is made by the speaker 170 for unopening, but for example, a lighting device (not shown) such as an LED may be used as a notification means and notification may be made by lighting up.

[0041] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the process related to determining whether the protective cover 210 is open or closed in the switch determination unit 151B according to Embodiment 5. The switch determination unit 151B determines whether the circuit board switch 152 is pressed (step S1). If the switch determination unit 151B determines that the circuit board switch 152 is not pressed, it terminates the process. On the other hand, if the switch determination unit 151B determines that the circuit board switch 152 is pressed, it measures the continuous pressing time of the circuit board switch 152 based on the timing of the timer unit 151C (step S2).

[0042] The switch determination unit 151B then compares the continuous press time with the set time and determines whether the continuous press time is equal to or greater than the set time (step S3). Here, the set time may be determined, for example, based on the time it takes for the smoke from the fumigant to dissipate. If the switch determination unit 151B determines that the continuous press time is equal to or greater than the set time, it assumes that the protective cover 210 has been closed for a certain period of time and outputs an unopened signal to the speaker 170 (step S4). The speaker 170 emits a sound to notify that the protective cover 210 has been left unopened (step S5). On the other hand, if it determines that the continuous press time is not equal to or greater than the set time, the process returns to step S1 and continues.

[0043] As described above, according to the alarm device 10 of Embodiment 5, when the protective cover 210 is closed, the protective cover 210 has a projection 212 that presses down the push-in member 137. The switch determination unit 151B of the control circuit 151 determines, based on the timing of the timer unit 151C, that the circuit board switch 152 has been pressed for a set time or longer, and causes the speaker 170 to notify that the cover has been left open. This prevents the protective cover 210 from being left open in the alarm device 10. At this time, since the alarm device 10 uses the push-in member 137 and the circuit board switch 152 to detect when the cover has been left open, there is no need to separately install a sensor or the like to detect when the cover has been left open. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0044] 10 Alarm unit, 100 Main unit, 110 Base, 120 Detection unit, 121 Housing, 130 Cover, 131 Side of cover, 132 Bottom of cover, 132A Button hole, 133 Slit, 134 Support column, 135 Horizontal hole, 136 Partition member, 137 Push-in member, 140 Main body, 141 Bottom surface, 142 Circuit board mounting section, 143 Battery housing section, 144 Terminal, 150 Circuit board, 151 Control circuit, 151A Smoke detection unit, 151B Switch determination unit, 151C Timer unit, 152 Circuit board switch, 160 Smoke detection unit, 170 Speaker, 180 Battery, 190 Middle plate, 200 Protective unit, 210 Protective cover, 211 Claw, 212 Protrusion, 220 Hinge, 221 Rotating shaft, 222 Sliding part, 230 Protective wall, 240 Insulating film, 241 Adhesive part, 300 Inner packaging box, 400 Outer packaging box.

Claims

1. A device body having through-holes through which airflow passes, and which performs fire detection based on the airflow that flows into the interior from the through-holes, A protective part that blocks the airflow by sealing the through hole from the outside, and An alarm system equipped with the following features.

2. The aforementioned protective part is A protective cover that covers the main body of the device, A hinge that rotatably connects the protective cover to the main body of the device, The alarm device according to claim 1, having the following features.

3. The aforementioned protective part is The device has an insulator sandwiched between the battery, which serves as the power source for the main body of the device, and the terminals connecting the battery to the circuit board, thereby electrically separating the battery from the terminals. The alarm device according to claim 2, wherein when the protective cover is opened, the insulator is removed from between the battery and the terminals.

4. The main body of the device has a sliding part that allows the hinge to move in the height direction, The alarm device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the protective cover is configured to have a bellows-like side wall that can be expanded and contracted.

5. The alarm device according to claim 1, wherein the protective part has an expandable and contractible bellows-shaped protective wall that covers the side of the main body of the device.

6. The main body of the device includes a switch that receives instructions from an external source, and a control circuit that performs processing based on the input of the switch. It has a notification means for making notifications, The protective cover has a projection that presses the switch when closed, The alarm device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control circuit measures the continuous pressing time during which the switch is pressed repeatedly, and causes the notification means to notify when it is determined that the continuous pressing time is equal to or greater than a set time.

7. The alarm device according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 5, wherein the protective part covers the main body of the device and is then packaged in a packaging box.

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