Fire hydrant valve seizure prevention system

Abstract

This invention provides a fire hydrant valve seizure prevention system that can prevent fire hydrant valves from becoming stuck and unable to be opened. [Solution] The fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system 1 includes an automatic opening and closing mechanism (electric actuator 2) that automatically opens and closes a fire hydrant valve that is normally opened and closed manually. The fire hydrant valve is opened and closed by the automatic opening and closing mechanism (electric actuator 2) at predetermined timings (for example, at regular intervals of about 1 to 2 times a month). The system also includes a measuring means for measuring the operating time of the fire hydrant valve. The automatic opening and closing mechanism (electric actuator 2) opens and closes the fire hydrant valve by directly or indirectly opening and closing the valve body of the fire hydrant valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system for preventing sticking of a fire hydrant valve.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a road tunnel, as a fire extinguishing facility for initial fire extinguishing by tunnel users or the like, a fire hydrant facility for discharging a fire extinguishing agent such as water from a hose provided with a nozzle at the tip is installed.

[0003] The fire hydrant facility includes a fire hydrant valve for opening and closing the supply of the fire extinguishing agent to the hose, and the fire hydrant valve is provided to be manually opened (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The fire hydrant valve is normally closed and is opened only during inspections once or twice a year except during a fire. Therefore, there is a possibility that the valve body becomes stuck in the closed state and the fire hydrant valve cannot be opened. That is, there is a possibility that the fire hydrant cannot be used during a fire.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of this invention is to provide a fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system that can prevent the fire hydrant valve from becoming unable to be opened due to sticking.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] This invention relates to a fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system, which includes an automatic opening and closing mechanism for automatically opening and closing a fire hydrant valve that is normally opened and closed manually, and is characterized in that the fire hydrant valve is opened and closed at a predetermined timing by the automatic opening and closing mechanism.

[0008] In this invention, the fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system may further include measuring means for measuring the operating time of the fire hydrant valve. The fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system may further include detection means for detecting the opening and closing operation of the fire hydrant valve. The automatic opening and closing mechanism may open and close the fire hydrant valve by directly or indirectly opening and closing the valve body. The automatic opening and closing mechanism may also open and close the fire hydrant valve indirectly by opening and closing the valve body via a manual operating means operated when the fire hydrant valve is opened and closed manually. The automatic opening and closing mechanism may also not come into contact with the fire hydrant valve when the fire hydrant valve is opened and closed manually. Furthermore, the system may further include storage means for storing the normal operating time in advance, and determination means for determining whether the fire hydrant valve is normal or not by comparing the operating time measured by the measuring means with the normal operating time stored in the storage means while the prevention system is in operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the fire hydrant valve locking system of this invention, the fire hydrant valve can be automatically opened at a predetermined timing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fire hydrant valve from becoming stuck in a closed position. In other words, it is possible to prevent the fire hydrant valve from becoming stuck and unable to be opened. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram illustrates an embodiment of the fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system of the present invention, and shows an example of its configuration as a block diagram. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the electric actuator in the same example as above, presented as a block diagram. [Figure 3]This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of connecting the above-mentioned electric actuator to a fire hydrant valve, as a side view together with the fire hydrant valve. (a) shows the fire hydrant valve in the closed state, and (b) shows the fire hydrant valve in the open state. Note that the control device and detection device are not shown in the diagram. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Furthermore, the fire hydrant valve seizure prevention system of this invention is applicable to fire hydrant valves that are opened and closed manually. In other words, it is not limited to fire hydrant valves in fire hydrant systems installed in tunnels, but is also applicable to fire hydrant valves in other fire hydrant systems that are opened and closed manually.

[0013] [Entire system] The fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "System 1") includes an electric actuator 2 (an example of an automatic opening and closing mechanism) that electrically opens and closes the valve body 22 of a fire hydrant valve 20 that is normally opened and closed manually, and a control device 7 that controls the operation of the electric actuator 2 and opens and closes the valve body 22 of the fire hydrant valve 20 at a predetermined timing (see Figures 1 to 3).

[0014] Therefore, the fire hydrant valve seizure prevention system 1 can automatically open the fire hydrant valve 20 at a predetermined timing. This prevents the fire hydrant valve 20 from becoming seized in a closed position. In other words, it prevents the fire hydrant valve 20 from becoming seized and unable to be opened.

[0015] [Electric Actuator] The electric actuator 2 comprises an electric motor 3, which is the driving source; a gear section 4, which reduces the rotational speed of the rotating shaft of the electric motor 3; and a drive shaft 5, which rotates at the speed reduced by the gear section 4 to drive the valve body 22 of the fire hydrant valve 20 to open and close (see Figures 2 and 3).

[0016] Here, the fire hydrant valve 20 is a ball valve that is manually opened and closed. Inside the valve box 21, it includes a substantially spherical valve body 22 that rotates around the rotation shaft 22a to open and close the flow path, and outside the valve box 21, it includes an operation lever 23 (an example of manual operation means) that manually rotates the valve body 22 around the rotation shaft 22a to open and close the flow path (see FIG. 3).

[0017] The electric actuator 2 is provided for such a fire hydrant valve 20. For example, it is provided in proximity to the fire hydrant valve 20, and the drive shaft 5 is connected to the valve body 22 to directly drive the opening and closing of the valve body 22. More specifically, at a position on the opposite side of the operation lever 23, the drive shaft 5 is connected to the valve body 22 to directly rotate the valve body 22 around the rotation shaft 22a for opening and closing drive (see FIG. 3).

[0018] Thereby, while maintaining the manual opening and closing function by the operation lever 23, the valve body 22 can be electrically opened and closed by the electric actuator 2.

[0019] As a method of driving the opening and closing of the valve body 22, for example, the drive shaft 5 is rotated in the opening direction of the valve body 22 by a rotation angle (substantially 90 degrees) at which the valve body 22 changes from the fully closed state to the fully open state, and after the valve body 22 is in the open state, the drive shaft 5 is rotated in the opposite direction, i.e., the closing direction of the valve body 22, by a rotation angle (substantially 90 degrees in the opposite direction) at which the valve body 22 changes from the fully open state to the fully closed state to close the valve body 22.

[0020] Note that the above-described configuration example of the electric actuator 2 corresponds to the case where the fire hydrant valve 20 is a ball valve and the valve body 22 is directly rotated by the electric actuator 2 for opening and closing drive. The configuration content can be changed as appropriate.

[0021] For example, the electric actuator 2 can be configured to indirectly rotate the valve element 22 via the operation lever 23 for opening and closing drive. Specifically, although not shown in the figure, the electric actuator 2 can be configured to open and close the operation lever 23 to rotate the valve element 22 for opening and closing drive. In this case, for example, the electric actuator 2 is provided in proximity to the operation lever 23, is located within the movement locus in the opening and closing directions of the operation lever 23, and has a drive portion that contacts the operation lever 23 and moves it in the opening and closing directions.

[0022] [Control device] The control device 7 includes a control unit 8, a timer 9, and a storage unit 10 (see FIG. 1). The timer 9 has a function of measuring the operation time of the system 1 of the fire hydrant valve 20. The control unit 8 cooperates with the timer 9 to control the operation of the electric actuator 2 so as to open and close the valve element 22 at a predetermined timing, for example, at a regular timing of about once or twice a month.

[0023] The storage unit 10 has a function of storing information, and the information it stores will be described later.

[0024] [Detection device] The system 1 further includes a detection device 6 (an example of detection means) for detecting the opening and closing operation of the valve element 22 (see FIG. 1). Thereby, it can be detected whether the valve element 22 is opened or closed by the electric actuator 2.

[0025] As the detection device 6, for example, a limit switch can be used. In that case, an open-side limit switch for detecting that the valve element 22 has reached the fully open position and a closed-side limit switch for detecting that the valve element 22 has reached the fully closed position can be used.

[0026] The detection device 6 may detect the opening and closing of the valve body 22 by detecting the rotational movement of the valve body 22, or it may detect the opening and closing of the valve body 22 by detecting the rotational movement of the drive shaft 5. Furthermore, it may detect the opening and closing of the valve body 22 by detecting the opening and closing movement of the operating lever 23.

[0027] [Operating time measurement function] The timer 9 (an example of a measurement means) can work in cooperation with the detection device 6 to measure the operating time required for the valve body 22 to open (the operating time from the fully closed state to the fully open state) as the operating time of the fire hydrant valve 20 when the electric actuator 2 opens and closes the valve body 22 at a predetermined timing.

[0028] The operating time of the fire hydrant valve 20 measured by the timer 9 may be the operating time required for the valve body 22 to close (the time from the fully open state to the fully closed state), or it may be the operating time required for the valve body 22 to open and close (the time from the fully closed state to the fully open state, and then from the fully open state to the fully closed state).

[0029] [Fault detection function] The memory unit 10 can store in advance the operating time required for the valve body 22 to open under normal conditions (an example of the operating time of a fire hydrant valve under normal conditions). Specifically, for example, when the system 1 is installed, the operating time required for the valve body 22 to open under normal conditions can be measured by the timer 9 and stored in memory.

[0030] The control unit 8 (an example of a determination means) can determine whether the fire hydrant valve 20 is functioning correctly by comparing the operating time required for the valve body 22 to open, measured by the timer 8, with the operating time required for the valve body 22 to open under normal conditions, which is stored in the storage unit 10, when the electric actuator 2 opens or closes the valve body 22 at a predetermined timing while the system 1 is in operation.

[0031] In other words, the fire hydrant valve seizure prevention system 1 can have not only the function of preventing the fire hydrant valve 20 from seizing, but also the function of determining whether or not the fire hydrant valve 20 is malfunctioning.

[0032] [Example of configuration changes] The above describes an example of an embodiment of the smoke detector of this invention with reference to the drawings. However, this invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and modifications to the configuration are possible within the scope of its essence.

[0033] For example, the electric actuator 2 can be configured to contact the fire hydrant valve 20 only when opening or closing the valve body 22 at a predetermined timing. Specifically, although not shown in the figures, if the electric actuator 2 is used to rotate the valve body 22 by opening and closing the operating lever 23, the electric actuator 2 can be configured to be positioned within the trajectory of the opening and closing movement of the operating lever 23, contact the operating lever 23, and operate the operating lever 23 only when opening or closing the valve body 22 at a predetermined timing. This allows the electric actuator 2 to be operated freely when manually opening or closing the operating lever 23. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0034] 1: Fire hydrant valve seizure prevention system 2: Electric actuator (automatic opening and closing mechanism) 3: Electric motor 4: Gear section 5: Drive shaft 6: Detection section 7: Control device 8: Control unit 9: Timer 10: Memory unit 20: Fire hydrant valve 21: Valve box 22: Valve body 22a: Rotating shaft 23: Operating lever

Claims

1. It is equipped with an automatic opening and closing mechanism that automatically opens and closes fire hydrant valves that are normally opened and closed manually. A fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system characterized by opening and closing the fire hydrant valve at a predetermined timing using the automatic opening and closing mechanism.

2. The fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system according to claim 1, further comprising a measuring means for measuring the operating time of the fire hydrant valve.

3. The fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system according to claim 1, characterized in that the automatic opening and closing mechanism opens and closes the valve body of the fire hydrant valve directly or indirectly to open and close the fire hydrant valve.

4. The fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system according to claim 1, characterized in that the automatic opening and closing mechanism does not come into contact with the fire hydrant valve when the fire hydrant valve is opened or closed manually.

5. A storage means for storing the aforementioned operating time under normal conditions in advance, The fire hydrant valve sticking prevention system according to claim 2, further comprising: a determination means for determining whether the fire hydrant valve is functioning normally by comparing the operating time measured by the measuring means with the normal operating time stored in the storage means while the prevention system is in operation.

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