Management System

Abstract

To provide a management system capable of acquiring various kinds of information in a flow path.SOLUTION: A management system comprises: an opening part 131b that is formed to enable communication between a flow path 131a formed in a valve box 130 and the outside of the valve box 130, and be open in a valve axis direction; and a cylindrical communication part 170 that is connected to communicate with the opening part 131b, and extends from the opening part 131b in the valve axis direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for a management system having a valve for opening and closing a flow path. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional methods for obtaining information about the inside of pipelines (flow paths) such as water pipes include installing dedicated equipment such as water quality monitoring devices and flow meters midway through the flow path to obtain information permanently, or temporarily introducing various sensors into the flow path via existing fire hydrants, etc., to obtain information.

[0003] However, the former method requires relatively high installation costs and may require dedicated installation space, making it difficult to obtain information about the pipeline network over a wide area, while the latter method makes it possible to obtain information for a limited period and location, but it is difficult to obtain information about the pipeline network over a wide area and permanently.

[0004] Here, valves that open and close the fluid flow path are appropriately installed in pipelines such as water pipes. For example, a valve such as that described in Patent Document 1 is known as a common valve. Since many such valves are installed in a pipeline network, if information about the inside of the flow path can be obtained using these valves, information about the pipeline network can be obtained widely and permanently. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6066722 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a management system capable of acquiring various information about the inside of a flow path. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be described.

[0008] That is, claim 1 provides a management system for managing information on a pipeline network using a plurality of valves, wherein the valves have an opening that connects a flow path formed in a valve box with the outside of the valve box and that is formed to open in the valve axis direction, a cylindrical communicating part that is connected to communicate with the opening and extends from the opening in the valve axis direction, and an attachment to which an external device can be attached to the communicating part, the management system comprises the valves, a transmitting part that can transmit information acquired by the external device, a processing part that processes information from the transmitting part, and a portable terminal that can display information processed by the processing part, the attachment has a valve mechanism that can close a hollow part of the attachment, the transmitting part transmits the information acquired by the external device to the processing part in association with information that uniquely identifies the valve and measurement date and time, and the processing part generating a screen displayable on the portable terminal based on the acquired information; The acquired information; Pipeline network A superimposed image is generated by superimposing map information on the image, and the portable terminal The generated screen and The superimposed image can be displayed.

[0010] Claim 2 In the above, the communication portion is arranged so as to be exposed to a valve box installed above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention has an effect of making it possible to acquire various pieces of information about the inside of the flow path through the communication portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] Overall schematic diagram of the management system. [Figure 2] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a valve device and a communication unit. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] Schematic cross section AA of Figure 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a valve device showing an example in which a fiberscope is used as an external device. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a valve device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a valve device according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] In the following description, the directions indicated by arrows U, D, F, and B in the drawings are defined as the upward direction, downward direction, forward direction, and backward direction, respectively.

[0014] A management system 1 using a valve device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0015] The management system 1 manages fluids in a flow path using a valve device 100, which will be described later. More specifically, the management system 1 is installed in a water supply and sewerage facility, and manages water supplied from a water transmission and distribution facility P and circulating in a water pipe P1 (flow path). For example, the management system 1 can acquire and check information (e.g., water pressure) inside the water pipe P1. The management system 1 includes the valve device 100, a communication unit 10, a mobile terminal 20, a server 30, and an administrator terminal 40.

[0016] The valve device 100 is for controlling the flow of water in the water pipe P1. As will be described later, the valve device 100 can also acquire information about the inside of the water pipe P1. The configuration of the valve device 100 will be described later.

[0017] The communication unit 10 is a device for exchanging information between the valve device 100 and another device (in this embodiment, a server 30). The communication unit 10 can exchange information with the server 30 via, for example, a mobile phone line. The communication unit 10 is connected to a power source 11. Electric power from the power source 11 can be supplied to a pressure sensor S, which will be described later, via the communication unit 10.

[0018] The portable terminal 20 is a terminal carried by a worker A1 who performs work (for example, maintenance work) on the water pipe P1. The portable terminal 20 is configured as a device (for example, a smartphone, tablet terminal, etc.) that can be carried by the worker A1. The portable terminal 20 can obtain information about the inside of the water pipe P1 acquired by the valve device 100 by viewing information processed by the server 30 (information about the valve device 100 received via the communication unit 10).

[0019] The server 30 performs appropriate processing in response to requests from other devices. The server 30 is configured, for example, as a cloud server (strictly speaking, a server virtually constructed within the cloud server). The server 30 can obtain information about the inside of the water pipe P1 acquired by the valve device 100 by receiving a signal from the valve device 100 via the communication unit 10. The server 30 can also process the information about the inside of the water pipe P1. The processing of the server 30 will be described later.

[0020] The administrator terminal 40 is a terminal used by an administrator A2 who manages the water pipe P1. The administrator terminal 40 includes a computing device (e.g., a CPU, etc.), a storage device (e.g., a HDD, etc.), and an input / output device (e.g., a mouse, a keyboard, a display, etc.). The administrator terminal 40 is connected to the server 30 via a network line. The administrator terminal 40 can obtain predetermined information from the server 30 (e.g., information inside the water pipe P1 and the results of processing that information by the server 30) by sending a signal to the server 30.

[0021] The configuration of the valve device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0022] The valve device 100 shown in Fig. 1 is a part that controls the flow of water in a water pipe P1. The valve device 100 is installed in the water pipe P1 below a valve box B1 that is installed underground. The valve device 100 is connected to a communication unit 10 installed in the valve box B1, and can transmit information about the inside of the water pipe P1 to the communication unit 10 (and, by extension, to the server 30, etc.).

[0023] 2 to 4, the valve device 100 is configured with a gate valve (for example, a soft seal gate valve) that closes a flow path by separating it with a valve element 150. The valve device 100 includes a valve body 130, a valve cover 140, the valve element 150, a valve stem 160, a communication part 170, a water stop part 180, and an attachment 190.

[0024] 3 and 4 forms a flow path. The valve box 130 is formed in a hollow box shape. The valve box 130 includes a pipeline portion 131 and a valve element accommodating portion 132.

[0025] The duct portion 131 is a portion through which a fluid flows. The duct portion 131 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction. The duct portion 131 is formed with a flow path 131a and an opening 131b.

[0026] The flow path 131a is a hollow portion formed so as to penetrate the pipe portion 131 from front to back. Water flowing through the water pipe P1 can flow back and forth within the flow path 131a.

[0027] 3 to 5 is a through-hole that connects the flow path 131a with the outside of the valve box 130. A pair of openings 131b are formed in the upper part of the valve box 130, one in front and one in back, sandwiching a valve element accommodating section 132 described later. The openings 131b are formed to extend in the up-down direction. The openings 131b are formed to open in the same direction (vertically upward) as the direction in which a valve stem 160 (valve shaft) described later protrudes from the valve box 130.

[0028] 3 and 4 is a portion capable of accommodating a valve element 150, which will be described later. The valve element accommodating portion 132 is formed in approximately the center between the front and rear of the valve box 130. The valve element accommodating portion 132 is formed so as to protrude upward from the upper portion of the pipe line portion 131. The valve element accommodating portion 132 is formed hollow so that the valve element 150 can be accommodated therein. A flange portion 132a is formed in the valve element accommodating portion 132.

[0029] The flange portions 132a shown in Figures 3 to 5 are a pair of portions formed at the front and rear of the upper end of the valve body accommodating portion 132. The flange portions 132a are formed integrally with the valve body accommodating portion 132. The flange portions 132a are formed so as to extend in the front and rear directions from the valve body accommodating portion 132. The flange portions 132a are formed in the shape of a plate with the plate surfaces facing up and down. The flange portions 132a are formed so as to extend above the opening 131b formed in the pipe line portion 131. A through-hole 132b is formed in the flange portion 132a, passing through the flange portion 132a in the vertical direction. The through-hole 132b is formed on the same axis as the opening 131b formed in the pipe line portion 131.

[0030] 3 and 4 closes the valve element accommodating portion 132 of the valve box 130 from above. The valve element accommodating portion 132 is fixed to the upper portion of the valve element accommodating portion 132. The valve element 140 includes a bushing 141.

[0031] The bushing 141 is a part that rotatably supports the valve stem 160, which will be described later. The bushing 141 is provided on the upper part of the valve lid 140.

[0032] The valve element 150 is a member that opens and closes the flow path 131a. The valve element 150 is housed in the valve box 130. The valve element 150 is formed to have an outer shape that is generally similar to the cross-sectional shape of the flow path 131a so that it can close the flow path 131a. The valve element 150 is supported by a valve stem 160, which will be described later, so that it can move up and down. The valve element 150 can close the flow path 131a by descending so as to cross the flow path 131a. The valve element 150 can also open the flow path 131a by ascending upward (to the valve element housing portion 132) so as to retreat from the flow path 131a.

[0033] The valve stem 160 supports the valve element 150 so that it can move up and down. The valve stem 160 is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape with its axial direction (valve axis direction) facing up and down. The valve stem 160 is rotatably inserted into the bushing 141 of the valve lid 140. The upper part of the valve stem 160 is positioned so as to protrude from the upper part of the valve lid 140. The lower part of the valve stem 160 is positioned so as to be located within the valve element accommodating portion 132. A male thread portion 161 is formed on the lower part of the valve stem 160. The male thread portion 161 is engaged with a female thread portion (not shown) formed on the valve element 150. This allows the valve element 150 to move up and down by rotating the valve stem 160.

[0034] 3 to 5 is connected to the opening 131b formed in the valve box 130. The communicating part 170, water stop part 180, attachment 190, etc. described below are provided in pairs at the front and rear of the valve stem 160 as shown in Fig. 3, but for convenience, the following description will focus on the communicating part 170, etc. arranged at the rear of the valve stem 160. The communication portion 170 includes a cylindrical portion 171 and a flange portion 172 .

[0035] The cylindrical portion 171 is a portion formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with its axis oriented vertically. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 171 is formed smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 131b formed in the valve box 130 so that the cylindrical portion 171 can be inserted into the opening 131b.

[0036] The flange 172 is a plate-like portion formed at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 171. The flange 172 is formed with its plate surface facing up and down. The flange 172 is formed to extend left and right from the cylindrical portion 171.

[0037] The communicating portion 170 formed in this manner is inserted from above into the through-hole 132b of the flange portion 132a formed in the valve body accommodating portion 132, and the lower end of the cylindrical portion 171 is inserted into the opening 131b of the valve box 130. This connects the communicating portion 170 (cylindrical portion 171) to communicate with the opening 131b.

[0038] Furthermore, flange 172 of communicating portion 170 abuts against the upper surface of flange 132a and is fixed to flange 132a by bolts 172a (see FIG. 5). In this way, since communicating portion 170 is fixed to flange 132a, even if the water pressure in flow path 131a acts to push communicating portion 170 up, it is possible to prevent communicating portion 170 from slipping out of opening 131b.

[0039] The waterproof portion 180 serves to prevent water from entering the connecting portion between the opening 131b and the communication portion 170. The waterproof portion 180 includes a sealing member 181 and a holding portion 182.

[0040] The seal member 181 is intended to prevent leakage of fluid. The seal member 181 is formed by vertically stacking a plurality of V-packings 181a, each having a V-shaped cross section, and sandwiching them from above and below between a male adapter 181b and a female adapter 181c. The seal member 181 is formed in a substantially annular (cylindrical) shape so that the tubular portion 171 of the communication portion 170 can be inserted therethrough. The seal member 181 is disposed inside the opening 131b with the tubular portion 171 inserted therethrough. In this manner, the seal member 181 is disposed so as to fill the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the opening 131b and the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 171. This prevents water in the flow path 131a from leaking out of the opening 131b.

[0041] The holding portion 182 holds the seal member 181 in the opening 131b. The holding portion 182 includes a cylindrical portion 182a and a flange portion 182b.

[0042] The cylindrical portion 182a is a portion formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with its axis oriented vertically. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 182a is formed smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 131b formed in the valve box 130 so that the cylindrical portion 182a can be inserted into the opening 131b. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 182a is formed larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 171 so that the cylindrical portion 171 of the communication portion 170 can be inserted therethrough.

[0043] The flange 182b is a plate-like portion formed on the upper end of the cylindrical portion 182a. The flange 182b is formed with its plate surface facing up and down. The flange 182b is formed to extend left and right from the cylindrical portion 182a.

[0044] The cylindrical portion 182a of the holding portion 182 formed in this manner is inserted into the opening 131b from above the seal member 181. In this state, the flange portion 182b is fixed to the valve box 130 (pipe line portion 131) by bolts 182c (see FIG. 5). By fixing the holding portion 182 in this manner, the seal member 181 is held within the opening 131b. Furthermore, by tightening the bolts 182c and pushing the cylindrical portion 182a toward the seal member 181, the water-stopping function of the seal member 181 can be restored.

[0045] The attachment 190 is a member for attaching an external device to the communication portion 170. A main body portion 191 of the attachment 190 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. The lower end of the main body portion 191 is fixed to the upper end of the communication portion 170 (cylindrical portion 171) by screw connection or the like. This positions the main body portion 191 so that it protrudes further upward from the communication portion 170. The main body portion 191 also communicates with the flow path 131a of the valve box 130 via the communication portion 170. The main body portion 191 has an appropriate shape and detachable structure so that the external device can be easily attached and detached.

[0046] Fig. 5 shows an example of an external device in which a pressure sensor S for detecting the pressure inside the flow path 131a is attached to the attachment 190. Fig. 5 also shows an example of the attachment 190 having a valve mechanism 192 (ball valve) that can close the hollow portion so as to prevent water from flowing out of the flow path 131a when no external device is connected. Specifically, the valve mechanism 192 includes a valve body 192a and an operating lever 192b.

[0047] Valve element 192a is formed in a spherical shape with a through-hole formed through the center. Valve element 192a is rotatably disposed inside main body 191. Operating lever 192b is provided on the side of main body 191 while connected to valve element 192a so that valve element 192a can be rotated by external operation.

[0048] For example, when pressure sensor S is not connected to attachment 190 (when an external device is not used), outflow of water from flow path 131a can be prevented by operating operation lever 192b to rotate valve body 192a and closing the hollow portion of main body 191. On the other hand, when pressure sensor S is connected to attachment 190, operating lever 192b to rotate valve body 192a to open (communicate) the hollow portion of main body 191, thereby communicating flow path 131a with pressure sensor S and enabling pressure inside flow path 131a to be detected.

[0049] The valve device 100 configured as described above is buried below the valve box B1, and both ends of the valve box 130 are connected to the water pipe P1, as shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, the portion of the valve device 100 located above the valve box 130 (the upper part of the valve stem 160 and the attachment 190) is arranged so as to be exposed inside the valve box B1.

[0050] By arranging the valve device 100 in this manner, the valve stem 160 in the valve box B1 can be rotated using an appropriate operating tool to raise and lower the valve element 150, thereby opening and closing the flow path 131a.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressure (water pressure) in the flow path 131a can be detected by connecting a pressure sensor S to an attachment 190 that is connected to the flow path 131a. In particular, in this embodiment, a pair of communication sections 170 and the like are provided before and after the valve stem 160 (valve element 150), making it possible to detect the pressure before and after the valve element 150. Furthermore, because an external device such as the pressure sensor S can be connected via the attachment 190, the external device can be attached and detached without interrupting the water supply in the flow path 131a. The pressure sensor S transmits the measurement result of the pressure in the flow path 131a to the communication unit 10 (see FIG. 2). The communication unit 10 transmits the measurement result to the server 30 (see FIG. 1).

[0052] As described above, in this embodiment, the valve device 100 can be provided with the function of acquiring the pressure inside the water pipe P1, thereby increasing the functionality of the valve device 100. This eliminates the need to install a separate dedicated device such as a pressure gauge, simplifying the equipment. Furthermore, since many valve devices 100 are generally installed in a pipeline network, information about the pipeline network can be acquired over a wide area and permanently.

[0053] In this embodiment, the pressure sensor S has been described as an example of the external device, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, various devices that can acquire information about the inside of the flow path 131a can be used as the external device. Specifically, instead of the pressure sensor S, it is also possible to use a device (vibration sensor) that acquires the vibration of the water flowing through the water pipe P1 (and thus the vibration of the water pipe P1), a device (microphone) that acquires the sound inside the water pipe P1, a device (turbidity sensor) that acquires the turbidity of the water flowing through the water pipe P1, etc.

[0054] Furthermore, an external device can be inserted into the flow path 131a not only by connecting it to the attachment 190 but also via the attachment 190, the communication part 170, etc. For example, it is possible to insert a fiberscope F into the flow path 131a to check the state of water flow in the flow path 131a or to inspect the inside of the flow path 131a.

[0055] Fig. 6 shows an example in which a fiberscope F is used as the external device. Fig. 6 also shows an example of an attachment 190 having a water stop mechanism 193 that can prevent water from flowing out of the flow path 131a when the fiberscope F is attached. The water stop mechanism 193 is formed above the valve mechanism 192 (at the upper end side of the attachment 190). Specifically, the water stop mechanism 193 includes an elastic member 193a and a lid member 193b.

[0056] The elastic member 193a is made of an elastic material such as rubber. The elastic member 193a is formed in a cylindrical shape. The cover member 193b holds the elastic member 193a between itself and the main body 191. The lower end of the cover member 193b and the upper end of the main body 191 are fixed by screw connection. A through-hole having a diameter large enough to allow the insertion of a fiberscope F is formed in the center of the elastic member 193a and the cover member 193b.

[0057] For example, when a fiberscope F is not used, the operating lever 192b is operated to rotate the valve body 192a, thereby closing the hollow portion of the main body 191, thereby preventing water from leaking out of the flow path 131a. On the other hand, when a fiberscope F is inserted into the flow path 131a, the operating lever 192b is operated to rotate the valve body 192a, thereby opening (communicating) the hollow portion of the main body 191. In this state, the fiberscope F can be inserted into the flow path 131a via the attachment 190 by inserting the fiberscope F through the through-hole of the water-stopping mechanism 193. At this time, by tightening the cover member 193b to the main body 191, the elastic member 193a is elastically deformed so as to be crushed between the cover member 193b and the main body 191, filling the gap and preventing water from leaking out of the flow path 131a.

[0058] The processing of the server 30 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0059] As described above, the server 30 receives measurement results from an external device (for example, pressure measurement results from the pressure sensor S) via the communication unit 10. At this time, information that uniquely identifies the valve device 100 (for example, a predetermined ID, etc.) and the measurement date and time are transmitted to the server 30 in association with the measurement results. The server 30 stores the transmitted information as appropriate. Specifically, for example, the server 30 registers the measurement results from the pressure sensor S in a predetermined database that has been constructed in advance.

[0060] The server 30 performs appropriate processing on the thus-stored measurement results of the pressure sensor S. Specifically, for example, in response to a request from the administrator terminal 40 or the like, the server 30 extracts data from the database and generates a screen (for example, a screen created in an html (HyperText Markup Language) document or the like), and makes the generated screen viewable from the administrator terminal 40 or the like.

[0061] More specifically, in response to a request from the administrator terminal 40, the server 30 generates a screen that displays the pressure measured by the pressure sensor S of each valve device 100 connected to the water pipe P1. By displaying this screen on the administrator terminal 40, the administrator A2 can check the pressure at multiple locations. Based on the check results, the administrator A2 can optimize the operation of the pumps in the water transmission and distribution facility P. Furthermore, the administrator A2 can determine whether a large-scale water leak is occurring in the water pipe P1 based on the presence or absence of pressure abnormalities.

[0062] Furthermore, in response to a request from the administrator terminal 40, the server 30 creates a screen in which the position information (e.g., latitude and longitude) of the valve device 100 and the pressure measurement results are superimposed on map information. By displaying this screen on the administrator terminal 40, the administrator A2 can confirm the relationship between pressure and position information. This allows the administrator A2 to quickly determine the location of the water leak and measures to take against the leak (e.g., which valve device 100 should close the flow path, etc.).

[0063] Furthermore, in response to a request from the portable terminal 20, the server 30 generates a screen that displays the pressure measured in a predetermined valve device 100. By displaying this screen on the portable terminal 20, the worker A1 can determine whether or not to open or close the valve device 100 based on the pressure measurement results.

[0064] As described above, the valve device 100 (valve) according to this embodiment comprises an opening 131b that connects the flow path 131a formed in the valve box 130 with the outside of the valve box 130 and is formed to open in the valve axis direction, and a cylindrical communication portion 170 that is connected to communicate with the opening 131b and extends from the opening 131b in the valve axis direction.

[0065] With this configuration, information about the inside of the flow channel 131a can be easily obtained through the communication part 170. For example, an external device (various sensors such as a pressure sensor S) capable of acquiring information about the inside of the flow path 131a can be attached to the communication part 170. Also, an external device (for example, a fiberscope F) can be inserted into the flow path 131a through the communication part 170. This makes it possible to easily acquire information about the inside of the flow path 131a. In particular, by providing the communication part 170 so that it is exposed to the valve box B1 or the like, it is possible to easily attach an external device. In this way, by using the valve device 100 to obtain information about the inside of the flow path 131a, it is possible to obtain information about the pipeline network such as the water pipe P1 over a wide area and permanently.

[0066] The valve device 100 further includes a water blocking portion 180 that blocks water from entering the connecting portion between the opening 131b and the communication portion 170.

[0067] With this configuration, water leakage from the connection between the opening 131b and the communication part 170 can be prevented.

[0068] The valve device 100 further includes a flange portion 132a (retaining portion) that prevents the communication portion 170 from coming off.

[0069] This configuration can prevent the communication part 170 from coming off due to the water pressure in the flow path 131a.

[0070] The flange portion 132a (holding portion) is formed integrally with a valve element accommodating portion 132 of the valve box 130, which accommodates the valve element 150 that has retreated from the flow path 131a.

[0071] With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the communication part 170 from coming off by utilizing the valve body accommodating part 132. This makes it possible to simplify the structure.

[0072] The valve device 100 further comprises an attachment 190 to which an external device can be attached to the communication portion 170.

[0073] This configuration allows external devices to be easily attached to and detached from the valve device 100. As a result, by attaching devices (various sensors) that can acquire various types of information about the inside of the flow path 131a, for example, the information about the inside of the flow path 131a can be easily acquired even when the water supply is not interrupted.

[0074] The configuration of a valve device 200 according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0075] The valve device 200 according to the second embodiment differs from the valve device 100 according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 5) in that the valve device 200 according to the second embodiment includes a bellows 210 provided between the communication portion 170 and the attachment 190. The following mainly describes this difference (the bellows 210), and descriptions of the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0076] As described above, the valve device 200 according to the second embodiment includes the bellows 210 provided between the communication portion 170 and the attachment 190. The bellows 210 is a cylindrical member formed in a bellows shape. The bellows 210 is flexible due to its bellows shape. This allows the bellows 210 to deform, such as expanding and contracting, bending, and being misaligned (the centers of the upper and lower ends are misaligned). FIG. 7 shows, as an example, the upper portion of the bellows 210 bending to the right.

[0077] The lower end of bellows 210 is fixed to the upper end of communicating portion 170 (cylindrical portion 171) by screw connection or the like. The upper end of bellows 210 is fixed to the lower end of attachment 190 by screw connection or the like. In this way, bellows 210 is provided so as to connect communicating portion 170 and attachment 190.

[0078] By interposing the flexible bellows 210 between the communication portion 170 and the attachment 190 in this manner, it is possible to displace the attachment 190 relative to the communication portion 170. Therefore, when an external force acts on the attachment 190 or an external device (such as the pressure sensor S) attached to the attachment 190, the bellows 210 can be deformed (bent, etc.) to reduce the load applied to the communication portion 170, the water stop portion 180, etc. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the communication portion 170, etc., and the occurrence of water leakage. For example, even if an external device collides with the inner wall of the valve box B1 due to shaking such as an earthquake, the flexibility of the bellows 210 makes it possible to prevent a large load from being applied to the attachment 190, the communication portion 170, the water stop portion 180, etc.

[0079] The configuration of a valve device 300 according to the third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0080] The valve device 300 according to the third embodiment differs from the valve device 200 according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 7) in that a ball joint 310 is provided instead of the bellows 210. The following mainly describes this difference (ball joint 310), and descriptions of the same configuration as in the second embodiment will be omitted where appropriate.

[0081] As described above, the valve device 300 according to the third embodiment includes the ball joint 310 provided between the communication portion 170 and the attachment 190. The ball joint 310 is a coupling member formed so as to be bendable in any direction along a spherical surface. Figure 8 shows, as an example, how the upper portion of the ball joint 310 bends to the right.

[0082] The lower end of ball joint 310 is fixed to the upper end of communicating portion 170 (cylindrical portion 171) by screw connection or the like. The upper end of ball joint 310 is fixed to the lower end of attachment 190 by screw connection or the like. In this way, ball joint 310 is provided to connect communicating portion 170 and attachment 190.

[0083] By interposing the bendable ball joint 310 between the communication part 170 and the attachment 190 in this manner, it is possible to displace the attachment 190 relative to the communication part 170. Therefore, similar to the case where the bellows 210 is provided (see FIG. 7), when an external force acts on the attachment 190 or an external device (such as the pressure sensor S) attached to the attachment 190, the ball joint 310 can be bent to reduce the load applied to the communication part 170, the water stop part 180, etc. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the communication part 170, etc., and the occurrence of water leakage.

[0084] As described above, the valve device 200 and the valve device 300 according to the second and third embodiments further include a tolerance section (bellows 210, ball joint 310) that connects the communication section 170 and the attachment 190 and allows displacement of the attachment 190 relative to the communication section 170.

[0085] With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the load applied to the attachment 190 from acting on the communication part 170. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the communication part 170 and the like due to earthquakes and the like.

[0086] The valve device 100 according to this embodiment is one embodiment of the valve according to the present invention. The pressure sensor S according to this embodiment is one embodiment of an external device according to the present invention. Moreover, the flange portion 132a according to this embodiment is one embodiment of the holding portion according to the present invention. The bellows 210 and the ball joint 310 according to this embodiment are one embodiment of the tolerance portion according to the present invention.

[0087] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims.

[0088] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the communicating portion 170 was fixed to the flange portion 132a of the valve body accommodating portion 132 (see, for example, FIG. 5) to prevent the communicating portion 170 from slipping out, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the communicating portion 170 can also be fixed to the conduit portion 131. In this case, the retaining portion 182 of the water stopper portion 180 and the communicating portion 170 can be integrally formed, and the retaining portion 182 can be fixed to the conduit portion 131, thereby preventing the communicating portion 170 from slipping out and holding the seal member 181. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and simplify the structure.

[0089] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the flange 132a to which the communication portion 170 is fixed is formed integrally with the valve box 130 (valve element accommodating portion 132), but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the flange 132a can be formed from a separate member from the valve box 130 (valve element accommodating portion 132). In other words, the flange 132a can be configured to be detachable from the valve box 130 (valve element accommodating portion 132).

[0090] Furthermore, the specific configuration of the waterproofing section 180 shown in the above embodiment is just an example, and the types and number of parts can be changed as desired.

[0091] In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the attachment 190 is attached to the communication part 170, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is not necessarily necessary to use the attachment 190. In this case, it is possible to connect an external device directly to the communication part 170 (or by using an appropriate attachment member as necessary).

[0092] In the above embodiment, bellows 210 (see FIG. 7) and ball joint 310 (see FIG. 8) are exemplified as members that allow displacement of attachment 190 relative to communication part 170, but the present invention is not limited to this and various other configurations can be adopted. For example, communication part 170 and attachment 190 can be connected using a hose made of a flexible material (such as rubber).

[0093] In the above embodiment, the attachment 190 is illustrated as having the valve mechanism 192 (see FIG. 5) and the water stop mechanism 193 (FIG. 6), but the present invention is not limited to this and various other configurations can be adopted. For example, in the above embodiment, a ball valve is illustrated as the valve mechanism 192, but various other mechanisms (such as a gate valve) can also be used. In addition, the attachment 190 is preferably one that allows external devices to be attached and detached without interrupting the water supply, but it does not necessarily have to be one that includes the valve mechanism 192 or the water stop mechanism 193.

[0094] Furthermore, although the management system 1 (valve device 100) is described as being installed in a water supply and sewerage facility, the application of the valve device 100 is not limited to water supply and sewerage facilities, but it can be applied to various facilities.

[0095] In the above embodiment, the communication unit 10 exchanges information with the server 30 via a mobile phone line, but the communication path of the communication unit 10 is not limited to this. For example, in preparation for a situation where the mobile phone line becomes unusable due to a disaster or the like, the communication unit 10 may be able to communicate with the outside via a separate communication means (wireless communication, etc.). This makes it possible to directly communicate between a data logger and the communication unit 10 and directly obtain information about the flow path without going through the server 30 or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 100 Valve device (valve) 130 Valve box 131 Pipe section 131a Channel 131b opening 132 Valve body housing 132a Tsuba 150 Valve body 160 Valve stem 170 Communication section 180 Watertight section 190 Attachment 210 Bellows 310 ball joint

Claims

1. A management system for managing information on a pipeline network using a plurality of valves, The valve is an opening that communicates a flow path formed in the valve body with the outside of the valve body and is formed to open in the valve axis direction; a cylindrical communication portion connected to communicate with the opening and extending from the opening in the valve axis direction; and an attachment to which an external device can be attached to the communication portion, The management system includes: The valve; a transmitting unit capable of transmitting information acquired by the external device; a processing unit that processes information from the transmission unit; a portable terminal capable of displaying the information processed by the processing unit; Equipped with the attachment is provided with a valve mechanism capable of closing a hollow portion of the attachment; The transmission unit The information acquired by the external device is transmitted to the processing unit in association with information that uniquely identifies the valve and a measurement date and time; The processing unit generating a screen displayable on the portable terminal based on the acquired information; generating a superimposed image in which the acquired information and map information of the pipeline network are superimposed; The portable terminal includes: The generated screen and the superimposed image can be displayed. Management system.

2. The communication portion is arranged so as to be exposed to a valve box installed above. The management system according to claim 1 .

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