Locking device for solar power distribution equipment

Abstract

The cover of the solar power distribution equipment is now more securely locked than before, preventing the wiring inside the equipment from being cut. [Solution] A locking device 100 for locking the cover 202 of a solar power generation distribution equipment 200, comprising a movable member 30 that holds down the cover 202, and a pair of fixing members 10, 20 that fix one end and the other end of the movable member 30, respectively. Furthermore, a locking mechanism is provided at the connection between the movable member 30 and the fixing member 10. The locking mechanism comprises a mounting portion for screws 34 that fix the end of the movable member 30 to the fixing member 10, a cylindrical cover 13 that covers the heads of the screws 34, and a mounting portion 14 for a locking device 300 provided on the cover 13 to prevent the removal of the screws 34 covered by the cover 13.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a locking device for photovoltaic power distribution equipment.

Background Art

[0002] In Japan, most photovoltaic power plants spread rapidly starting around 2009. This is largely attributable to the launch of the government's feed-in tariff (FIT) system for electricity.

[0003] In the construction of photovoltaic power plants, burying the power cables of photovoltaic panels over long distances incurs significant costs. Therefore, many construction methods avoid costly burial work and route power cables through protective pipes laid directly on the ground. This is the so-called "rolling" construction method. Currently, there are a very large number of such ground-mounted photovoltaic power plants. At that time, the price of copper wire was still low, and it was not expected that copper wire theft would occur as frequently as it does today.

[0004] On the other hand, starting around 2022, the price of copper wire has risen sharply due to the impact of the Ukraine war and the rapid depreciation of the yen. Since stolen copper wire can be sold at very high prices, copper wire theft has become common at various facilities. Among these, photovoltaic power plants, where thick cables are used over long distances, have become prime targets for copper wire thieves. Most photovoltaic power plants are often located in unpopulated rural areas or mountain valleys, making them ideal targets for copper wire thieves. In recent years, the number of copper wire theft incidents at photovoltaic power plants has increased sharply.

[0005] As described above, many ground-mounted photovoltaic power plants are located in rural areas, allowing wire thieves to easily intrude into the facility without being seen. Furthermore, in the case of rolling wiring, thieves can cut and carry away thick power cables at any location they choose. For this reason, the facilities are completely vulnerable once targeted by thieves.

[0006] Once a solar power plant is targeted, not only is the wiring itself damaged, but the recent increase in wire theft means that it often takes several months to arrange for replacement wiring. The amount of power generation lost during that time easily exceeds 10 million yen. Many solar power plants have theft insurance, and are still able to receive some compensation for their losses, but the insurance companies have suffered such heavy losses that recently, even theft insurance has been suspended, making it impossible to obtain new coverage. However, it is impossible to bury the existing exposed wiring now, so solar power plant owners live in constant fear of wire theft.

[0007] The applicant has obtained a patent for an invention that covers piping to prevent the theft of electrical wires and make it difficult to cut them (Patent Document 1). However, theft groups always look for weaknesses and target them. For example, the rising portion of piping from the ground. In order to connect buried piping to a current collector, there is inevitably a part where the piping comes out of the ground and enters the current collector from below. The criminal groups target this point, cutting and removing the electrical wires inside the piping and stealing them.

[0008] Parts of the piping that are exposed above ground are particularly vulnerable to robbers. Even if these exposed parts are guarded, robbers can then open the doors of power distribution equipment (such as junction boxes and junction boxes) and cut the wiring inside. Power distribution equipment is often equipped with only simple locks so that chief engineers can easily open it during electrical inspections. As a result, most of it can be opened with a common key that electrical engineers often use. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7575650 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] The present invention aims to improve upon the shortcomings of the above-mentioned conventional examples, and in particular, to prevent the cutting of wiring inside the power distribution equipment by locking the cover of the solar power generation distribution equipment more securely than before. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a locking device for locking the cover of solar power generation distribution equipment, comprising a movable member for holding down the cover, and a pair of fixing members for fixing one end and the other end of the movable member, respectively. The device also has a locking mechanism at the connection between the movable member and the fixing members. The locking mechanism comprises a mounting portion for screws that fix the end of the movable member to the fixing member, a cylindrical cover that covers the area around the heads of the screws, and a mounting portion for a locking device provided on the cover that prevents the removal of the screws covered by the cover.

[0012] When a locking device is installed, removing screws covered by the cover is discouraged, making it impossible to remove the screws and thus the connection between the fixed and movable members, preventing the removal of the movable member holding the lid in place. To open the lid, the locking device must be removed, a tool inserted into the cover, and the screws removed. This releases the connection between the movable and fixed members, making it possible to remove the movable member holding the lid in place. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, by locking the cover of the solar power distribution equipment more securely than in conventional methods, it is possible to prevent the cutting of wiring inside the distribution equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a front view showing one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a left side view of the locking device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a right side view of the locking device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a plan view of the locking device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the locking device shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] The following description of one embodiment of the present invention is based on the configuration diagrams shown in Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a front view, Figure 2 is a left side view, Figure 3 is a right side view, and Figure 4 is a top view. In the following description, when up, down, left, and right are used, they refer to the up, down, left, and right directions relative to the drawing.

[0016] The current collection box 200, which serves as a power distribution device for solar power generation, is a thin, rectangular box-shaped structure comprising a box body 201 and a lid 202. The box body 201 houses the wiring for solar power generation. The lid 202 is positioned on the front and completely covers the opening (not shown) on the front of the box body 201. The lid 202 has a vertical pivot axis (not shown) at its right end when viewed from the front, and the left end rotates to open and close the opening of the box body 201 like a door.

[0017] The locking device 100 includes fixing members 10 and 20 fixed to the right and left sides of the current collector box 200, respectively. The locking device 100 also includes a movable member 30 that is stretched between the left and right fixing members 10 and 20 along the surface of the lid 202.

[0018] The fixing members 10 and 20 are formed in a rod shape using L-shaped angles made of steel. The fixing members 10 and 20 are fixed horizontally from the back to the front in their longitudinal direction, with the front end protruding further forward than the current collector box 200. One of the convex surfaces of the L-shaped angle of the fixing member 10 and 20 abuts against the box body 201, and the other surface is positioned horizontally on the top.

[0019] The fixing members 10 and 20 are each fixed to the side surface of the box body 201 by two bolts 11 and two nuts 12. The nuts 12 are fixed to the fixing members 10 and 20 by welding. The bolts 11 are inserted from the inner side to the outer side through holes opened in the box body 201, and are screwed onto the nuts 12 fixed to the fixing members 10 and 20. The left and right fixing members 10 and 20 are fixed at the same height.

[0020] The movable member 30 is also formed into a rod shape by an L-shaped angle made of steel. The movable member 30 is arranged with its longitudinal direction horizontal from left to right, and both end portions are bridged over the upper parts of the fixing members 10 and 20. Regarding the movable member 30, one of the convex surfaces of the L-shaped angle abuts against the lid 202, and both end portions of the other surface abut against the upper surfaces of the left and right fixing members 10 and 20.

[0021] The right end portion of the movable member 30 overlaps the end portion protruding toward the front of the right fixing member 20. A hole penetrating the fixing member 20 and the movable member 30 is provided in this overlapping portion. A vertical rotation shaft composed of a bolt 31 and a nut 32 is provided in this hole. The movable member 30 bridged between the fixing members 10 and 20 is horizontally rotatable about this rotation shaft. The bolt 31 and nut 32 forming the rotation shaft are integrated by welding so as not to be separable. By rotating about the rotation shaft, the movable member 30 can continuously move back and forth between a position in contact with the lid 202 of the current collection box 200 and a position far away from the lid 202.

[0022] The left end portion of the movable member 30 overlaps the end portion protruding toward the front of the left fixing member 10. A hole (a mounting portion for screws and the like) penetrating the fixing member 10 and the movable member 30 is provided in this overlapping portion. The hole is arranged at a position penetrating the fixing member 10 and the movable member 30 when the movable member 30 is in a position in contact with the lid 202. A nut 33 is welded to the upper part of this hole of the movable member 30. The nut 33 is screwed with a bolt 34 that is inserted upward from below into the hole provided in the fixing member 10.

[0023] The movable member 30 is fixed to the left fixed member 10 by screwing a bolt 34 into a nut 33 while it is overlapping with the fixed member 10. In this state, the movable member 30 cannot rotate and cannot move away from its contact with the lid 202. In this state, the lid 202 is held down by the movable member 30. In this state, the lid 202 is locked by the locking device 100. Because the movable member 30 is holding down the lid 202, the lid 202 of the current collector box 200 cannot be opened.

[0024] On the other hand, if the bolt 34 is loosened and pulled out from below the fixing member 10, the movable member 30 is released from its left end. This allows the movable member 30 to rotate and move away from the lid 202. With the lid 202 no longer held in place by the movable member 30, the opening of the current collector box 200 can be opened and closed.

[0025] The head of the bolt 34 is covered by a vertically elongated cylindrical cover 13. The cylindrical cover 13 is also made of steel, and its upper end is welded to the lower horizontal surface of the fixing member 10. The central axis of the cylindrical cover 13 coincides with the central axis of the hole through which the bolt 34 passes. The cover 13 is also made of steel. Because of this cover 13, in order to remove the bolt 34, a socket wrench of a suitable length must be inserted from the bottom of the cylinder to turn the bolt 34. The diameter of the cylinder of the cover 13 is set to a suitable diameter that is large enough to insert a socket wrench, but not large enough to insert a spanner or pliers.

[0026] The lower end of the cover 13 has two holes (locking holes 14) on the diameter of the cylinder. The locking holes 14 (attachment parts for locking devices) are used to attach a security lock product. The security lock product is preferably a U-lock for motorcycles. A U-lock for motorcycles has a sturdy U-shaped rod-shaped shackle made of hard steel or the like.

[0027] Figure 2 shows the lock in place with the shackle of the U-lock 300 inserted through the locking hole 14. When the U-lock 300 is installed in the locking hole 14, it is not possible to insert a socket wrench into the cylindrical cover 13. The diameter of the cover 13 is set to leave a gap that prevents the insertion of a socket wrench when the security lock product is installed in the locking hole 14. When the U-lock 300 is installed, it is not possible to insert any tool for turning the bolt 34, including a socket wrench, into the cover 13, and therefore the bolt 34 cannot be removed.

[0028] To open the lid 202, remove the U-lock 300, insert a socket wrench into the cover 13, and remove the bolt 34. This allows the movable member 30 to rotate away from the fixed member 10. By rotating the movable member 30 away from the lid 202, the restraint provided by the movable member 30 is removed, and the lid 202 can be opened. Figure 5 shows the movable member 30 and the lid 202 in the open position. The pivot axis of the movable member 30 is positioned so that the right end of the movable member 30 does not interfere with the current collector box 200 when the movable member 30 rotates.

[0029] As described above, a thief attempting to steal the electrical equipment by cutting the wiring inside the current collection box 200 cannot remove the bolt 34 unless they unlock or destroy the U-lock 300. Furthermore, removing the bolt 34 requires a special socket wrench suitable for the bolt 34. However, it is difficult to see the bolt 34 inside the cover 13 from the outside. Therefore, it is difficult to prepare a tool of the appropriate diameter and length for the bolt 34 in advance. Thus, the thief cannot loosen the bolt 34. If the bolt 34 cannot be removed, the movable member 30 cannot be released. If the movable member 30 is not released, the lid 202 cannot be opened. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by locking the lid of the solar power generation distribution equipment more securely than in conventional designs, it is possible to prevent the cutting of wiring inside the distribution equipment. With the locking device 100 installed, it becomes extremely difficult to steal the electrical wires from inside the current collection box 200, thereby enhancing the security effect.

[0030] Herein, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the bolts 11 and nuts 12 that secure the fixing members 10 and 20 may be mounted in reverse positions. The bolt 11 may be inserted from the outside of the fixing members 10 and 20 into a hole made in the current collector box 200, and the bolt 11 may be tightened from the inside of the current collector box 200. In this case, the head of the bolt 11 is welded to the fixing members 10 and 20. Also, the entire locking device 100 may be mounted upside down. In this case, the cylinder of the cover 13 will be facing upwards.

[0031] Alternatively, the arrangement of the fixed members 10, 20 and the movable member 30 may remain the same, but the cylinder of the cover 13 may be installed in the opposite direction on the upper left end of the movable member 30. In this case, the bolt 34 is inserted into the cylinder of the cover 13 from the top downwards and screwed into the nut 33 provided on the lower side of the fixed member 10. In this case, the nut 33 is welded to the lower side of the fixed member 10. It is also conceivable to deform the fixed member 10 and the movable member 30 so that the contact surfaces between the fixed member 10 and the movable member 30 are positioned vertically instead of horizontally. In this case, the bolt 34 and nut 33 are positioned horizontally so as to sandwich the contact surface from both sides. The cover 13 is then placed on the side where the bolt 34 is positioned. The nut 33 is welded to the fixed member 10 or the movable member 30 on the side where it is positioned.

[0032] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the fixing members 10 and 20 are fixed to the left and right sides of the box body 201, but this is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to fix the fixing members 10 and 20 to the top and bottom surfaces of the box body 201, respectively, and to arrange the movable member 30 vertically along the surface of the lid 202. Alternatively, one fixing member 10 could be fixed to the side of the box body 201, and the other fixing member 20 could be fixed to the top or bottom surface of the box body 201, with the movable member 30 positioned diagonally between the two fixing members 10 and 20 along the surface of the lid 202. Other design modifications that can be made by those skilled in the art are included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 10…Fixing member (left), 11…Bolt (for fixing), 12…Nut (for fixing), 13…Cover (cylinder), 14…Lock hole, 20…Fixing member (right), 30…Movable member, 31…Bolt (right), 32…Nut (right), 33…Nut (left), 34…Bolt (left), 100…Locking device, 200…Collector box (power distribution equipment), 201…Box body (container), 202…Lid, 300…U-lock (locking device)

Claims

1. A locking device for locking the lid of a solar power distribution device, which comprises a container for housing electric wires for solar power generation and a lid that closes the opening of the container, A movable member that holds the lid in place, The movable member comprises a pair of fixing members that secure one end and the other end of the movable member, The connection between the movable member and the fixed member has a locking mechanism, The locking mechanism is, A mounting portion for screws that secure the end of the movable member to the fixed member, A cylindrical cover that surrounds the head of the screw, A locking device comprising a cover and a mounting portion for a locking device provided on the cover, which prevents the removal of the screws covered by the cover.

2. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is provided at one end of the movable member, the other end of the movable member has a pivot shaft that is permanently fixed to the fixed member, and when the locking mechanism is released, the movable member can be detached from the lid around the pivot shaft.

3. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is secured by a bolt inserted from the inside to the outside of the container and a nut screwed onto the bolt, and the nut is fixed to the fixing member.

4. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed member and the movable member are made of L-shaped angles made of steel.

5. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of fixing members are provided horizontally on the left and right sides of the container, and the movable member is stretched across the pair of fixing members along the surface of the lid.

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