Mat-type snow melting device

Abstract

To provide a mat type snow melting device being easy to install, remove, and transport, that has added value in being capable of measuring vehicle weight and vehicle travel speed, and ensures safety during snowfall.SOLUTION: The mat type snow melting device 1 includes: a heating part 10; and a pair of non-conductive elastomer mats 11, 12 having a sandwich structure covering both principal planes of the heating part 10. The heating part 10 is formed by attaching a heating wire 17 to a base member made of a metal mesh member or a metal plate perforated with a large number of gaps. The wire mesh member or metal plate can be any of iron, steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. Using a wire mesh member 16 made of stainless steel as the base member is preferable as it ensures a light weight, appropriate rigidity, flexibility, and heat capacity. The efficiency of measurement work during snowfall can be improved by using the mat-type snow melting device 1 in combination with a mat-type weight measuring device 2 or a vehicle travel speed measuring device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a snow melting device for melting snow that has accumulated on road surfaces during snowfall to ensure the safety of walking and driving, or for melting snow that has accumulated on buildings and outdoor structures to protect the buildings and ensure the safety of pedestrians and driving vehicles, and in particular to a mat-type snow melting device that can be easily installed on road surfaces, buildings, etc., removed, and transported. [Background technology]

[0002] Various types of snow melting devices are known in the prior art that are placed on or under the road surface to remove snow that accumulates on the road surface during snowfall or to prevent snow accumulation, and that use an energy source to melt the snow and make it safer for walking and driving. Energy sources used for snow melting include heated hot water, geothermal energy, and groundwater, but the most widely known are those that use an electric heat source.

[0003] Figure 3 shows the snow-melting mat disclosed in Patent Document 1, which discloses a structure in which an electric heating wire (1) is sandwiched between metal plates (2) with excellent thermal conductivity, and then covered with a heat-resistant, durable, and waterproof mat (3). Terminals branching from the electric heating wire (1) extend from the snow-melting mat in all directions. These terminals are connected to form a parent mat (5) and a child mat (6), which can be expanded to a specified area by unfolding them. An electric cord (4) is connected to the electric heating wire (1), which is then connected to a power source (7). The electric heating wire (1) is heated by the passage of electricity, and the heat is then conducted to the metal plates (2), warming the entire mat and melting snow that has fallen on the surface of the mat.

[0004] Next, Figure 4 shows the road heating device disclosed in Patent Document 2. Here, a heat-generating sheet (1) extending across the width of the road surface is connected sequentially in the direction of road travel via connection terminals (2a, 2b) to cover the road surface at a fixed length. Based on information obtained from various sensors, an electrical current is passed through the heat-generating sheet (1) under the control of an electrical control unit (5), causing it to heat and melt snow on the road surface. The heat-generating sheet (1) is constructed by forming a ladder-shaped circuit pattern on one side of an impregnated fabric impregnated with a special polyester resin using conductive paint, and then adhering the impregnated fabric to that surface. The conductive paint is reportedly obtained by dispersing a metal material with low electrical resistance in an unsaturated polyester resin paint. The heat-generating sheet (1) is laid on top of a base layer of asphalt mixture, and a surface layer of the same asphalt mixture is then laid on top of it, using a compacted finish.

[0005] Next, Fig. 5 shows the sheet heating element disclosed in Patent Document 3. This sheet heating element uses a sheet heating element with electrical heating properties, and is covered with a material with excellent electrical insulation to form a heating element. The heating element is formed into a sheet by repeatedly bending a metal wire (nichrome wire) on a single plane (Fig. 5). b ), a metal film (such as aluminum foil) formed into a flat wave shape by punching (same, a ), a carbon resin semiconductor with conductive wires embedded on both sides of a semiconductor made of inorganic filler (same, c ) are listed as examples.

[0006] A mat-type vehicle weighing device, which is laid on the road surface in the same way as the snow melting device, is a prior art technology completely different from the snow melting device described above (see, for example, Patent Documents 4 and 5). Figure 6 shows an example cross-section of the vehicle weighing device disclosed in Patent Document 4. In the figure, the device consists of a pair of conductive sheets (1, 2) made of flexible conductive rubber and a strip-shaped non-conductive elastomer element (3) with a trapezoidal cross-section that extends perpendicular to the drawing and maintains a constant distance (H) between them. When the vehicle weight is applied, the non-conductive elastomer element (3) deforms into a drum-like shape in cross section, as shown on the right side of the figure. This changes the capacitance or electrical resistance between the pair of conductive sheets (1, 2), which is then detected and processed by a CPU to measure the vehicle weight. Each non-conductive elastomer element (3) is connected by an integrally molded non-conductive web (4) to prevent movement or deformation.

[0007] Furthermore, a mat-type vehicle speed measurement device is also known in the prior art that uses a mat-type sensor with a configuration similar to that of Fig. 6 and incorporates a different logic to measure the speed of a vehicle passing over the mat (see, for example, Patent Document 6). As with Patent Documents 4 and 5, this device captures the amount of change in capacitance or electrical resistance between a pair of conductive sheets that changes depending on the weight of the vehicle passing over the mat sensor, measures the time the vehicle takes to pass at more than half of the peak value, and calculates the vehicle speed using a CPU based on the results.

[0008] In addition, the symbols shown in parentheses after the components in the explanations related to each of the above patent documents are written to indicate the components in each patent document, and these symbols correspond only to the relevant patent document, and are not symbols that apply to components of other patent documents or the present invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-56125 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-3713 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-46487 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3-106428 [Patent Document 5] Special Publication No. 50-19057 [Patent Document 6] Special Publication No. 8-1442 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] There was still room for improvement in the various snow melting devices based on the prior art disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3. The snow melting mat shown in Figure 3 of Patent Document 1 discloses the basic concept, but the specific technical content is unclear. For example, the method for fixing the heating wire (1) to the metal plate (2) is not disclosed, so the means for arranging the heating wire during assembly is unclear. Furthermore, the method for insulating the heating wire from the metal plate is unclear, so the specifics of the invention are unclear. Furthermore, while it says "the heating wire is sandwiched between metal plates," the exact nature of the metal plate (main body) is unclear, so it is unclear, for example, whether the mat is flexible or not.

[0011] The road heating device shown in Figure 4 of Patent Document 2 uses a heat-generating sheet made of impregnated fabric impregnated with a special polyester resin, with a ladder-shaped circuit formed on one side using conductive paint, and then the impregnated fabric is glued onto the sheet, resulting in a complex structure and labor-intensive manufacturing process. Furthermore, the heat-generating sheet must be laid on top of a base layer of asphalt mixture on the road surface, and then a surface layer of the same asphalt mixture must be compacted and installed on top of it, which is not easy to implement. Furthermore, since no metal components with high thermal capacity are used, there may be problems with heat retention.

[0012] In the sheet heating element shown in FIG. 5 of Patent Document 3, a metal wire (FIG. 5 b ), metal foil (Fig. 5 a ), semiconductors (Fig. 5 cIn the patent document 3, a heating element consisting of a metal foil is fed into an extruder (reference symbol E1 in Figure 2 attached to Patent Document 3) via rollers, and the heating element is sandwiched between the extruder and the molten polymer, but this method is expected to be difficult. In the case of metal foil, its thickness of 80 μm makes it lacking in rigidity, and there is a problem as to whether it can be continuously fed using rollers (reference symbols R1 and R1' in Figure 2 of the same patent document). In particular, when it comes to metal wire, the document does not describe any examples, and it is highly questionable whether a bent metal wire can be continuously fed using rollers. Even if this were possible, considerable technical effort would be required, and it is expected that it would be difficult to put into practice.

[0013] In addition, all of the snow melting devices disclosed in the prior art are specialized in the snow melting function, and no technology is disclosed that adds additional functions. In particular, when installed on the road surface, it is conceivable to add functions for measuring the weight and speed of vehicles traveling on it, but no such technical idea is seen.

[0014] Based on the above, the present invention aims to solve the technical problems of the snow melting devices in the prior art described above, to provide a snow melting device that is easy to manufacture, lay on the road surface, and remove, and further to provide a snow melting device that can form a mat unit that has additional functions in addition to melting snow. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a mat-type snow melting device that uses a wire mesh member or a metal plate with numerous voids perforated as the core material of the heat-generating part of the mat-type snow melting device, and by providing a mat unit that combines the mat-type snow melting device with either a mat-type vehicle weight measuring device or a mat-type vehicle traveling speed measuring device, and specifically includes the following:

[0016] That is, one aspect of the present invention relates to a mat-type snow melting device that is laid outdoors during snowfall and uses an electric heat source to melt and remove snow, and is composed of a heat generating unit having an electric heating wire attached to a flat metal base member, and a pair of non-conductive elastomer sheets that cover both main surfaces of the heat generating unit to form a sandwich structure, and is characterized in that the metal base member is either a wire mesh-like member such as a wire net or wire mesh, or a metal plate with numerous voids perforated therein.

[0017] The wire mesh member serving as the base member can be a wire mesh or wire net made of iron, steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. Furthermore, the metal sheet having numerous voids perforated therein can be an expanded metal or a punched metal made of iron, steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. In this case, the stainless steel is preferably a non-magnetic stainless steel.

[0018] The heating element can be connected to either a control device that can manually control the power or a control device that can automatically control it using input from either a temperature sensor or a snow accumulation sensor, or both, to maintain the appropriate temperature required for snow melting.

[0019] The mat-type snow melting device can also be formed as a mat unit by superimposing on top of either a mat-type vehicle weight measuring device or a vehicle speed measuring device, which measures weight or speed by detecting changes in capacitance or electrical resistance that occur when a vehicle runs over the measuring device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] By implementing the present invention, it becomes possible to more easily implement means for ensuring the safety of people walking and vehicles traveling during snowfall, and it also has the effect of making it easier and safer to measure vehicle weights and vehicle speeds during snowfall. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1A is a cross-sectional view of a mat-type snow melting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a plan view showing the internal structure. [Figure 2] 2A is a cross-sectional view of a mat unit according to another embodiment of the present invention including the mat-type snow melting device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a wiring diagram. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing an example of a mat-type snow melting device according to the prior art; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing another example of a mat-type snow melting device according to the prior art. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing still another example of a mat-type snow melting device according to the prior art. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a mat-type vehicle weight measuring device according to the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] A mat-type snow melting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. The mat-type snow melting device 1 according to this embodiment, shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 1(a), has a sandwich structure consisting of a pair of non-conductive elastomer sheets 11 and 12 and a heat generating unit 10 whose two main planes are covered by the elastomer sheets 11 and 12. Lead wires 14 extend from the heat generating unit 10, and the lead wires 14 are connected to a control unit 15, which is further connected to a power source. In the illustrated example, the control unit 15 is made up of a transformer, which allows adjustment of the voltage applied to the heat generating unit 10. A fuse 13 is provided between the heat generating unit 10 and the control unit 15 to prevent damage to the heat generating unit 10 due to excessive current flow.

[0023] FIG. 1(b) shows a plan view of the configuration of the heat generating unit 10 inside the sandwich structure. The heat generating unit 10 in this embodiment is constructed by combining a wire mesh member 16 (hereinafter simply referred to as "wire mesh 16") that serves as the base member and an electric heating wire 17 that serves as the heat source during heating. This inner wire mesh 16 not only provides the strength necessary to maintain the overall shape of the sheet-type snow melting device 1, but also retains the heat generated by the electric heating wire 17 during heating, thereby enhancing the heat retention effect. For this reason, the base member is preferably a metal with a high heat capacity, and it is also preferable that it has appropriate rigidity to maintain the mat shape, as well as a certain degree of flexibility to allow for transportation, and is also lightweight.

[0024] In this embodiment, wire mesh 16 is used as a preferable member that can maximize the functionality of this base member, but the base member of the present invention is not limited to wire mesh 16, and equivalent alternative members can be used. Other preferable base members that can be used instead of wire mesh 16 include wire netting (mesh panels), expanded metal (lath metal) and punched metal, which have voids formed to reduce weight and ensure flexibility while maintaining the necessary strength. Wire netting is similar to wire mesh, but is not woven like wire mesh; instead, wires are layered vertically and horizontally in a checkerboard pattern and the periphery is secured by welding, bending, or the like. In this specification, the term "wire mesh-like member" includes not only wire mesh 16 but also wire netting, mesh panels, and other equivalent members of wire mesh.

[0025] Expanded metal is a flat plate with numerous slits, for example, in the shape of a V, that are then stretched longitudinally to form numerous voids, while punched metal is a flat plate with numerous voids of various shapes, such as square or round, punched into it. In terms of material, including the wire mesh member, iron, steel, and especially stainless steel, which has excellent rust resistance and high heat capacity, are preferred. Aluminum can also be used from the perspective of weight reduction, although it is somewhat disadvantageous in terms of heat capacity. The wire mesh 16 in this embodiment is a wire mesh woven from wires of non-magnetic austenitic SUS304 stainless steel.

[0026] The heating wire 17 is typically made of nichrome wire. In this embodiment, a heating wire made of nichrome wire coated with an insulating elastomer is used. It is preferable to wire the heating wire 17 so that it runs evenly around the entire wire mesh 16; the wiring in FIG. 1(b) is an example of this. Here, the heating wire 17 is repeatedly bent along the squares of the wire mesh, and the ends of the wire mesh are placed over each bend to securely fix the heating wire 17 to the wire mesh 16. Wire meshes generally have a frame surrounding them. Eliminating this frame makes it easier to fix the heating wire 17 when bent. Even if a frame is present, the heating wire 17 can be fixed by passing it through the squares. Even when a base material with voids, such as expanded metal or punched metal, is used, the heating wire 17 can be fixed in a similar manner by passing it through the voids. Additionally, since numerous voids are provided throughout the entire wire mesh, it is easy to evenly distribute and fix the heating wire 17 on the flat surface of the base material.

[0027] Although not shown in Figure 1, it is possible to connect several mat-type snow melting devices 1 in a row, vertically and horizontally, and arrange them in a plane that occupies a certain area. In this case, it is possible to extend a conductor from the middle of the heating wire 17 and connect the mat-type snow melting devices 1 with each other using a coupler or the like. This is similar to the connection of the parent mat (5) and child mat (6) shown in Figure 3 used in the explanation of the prior art. Also, if the area to be expanded by connecting them is large, it is possible to divide them into several blocks and arrange a control device 15 for each block.

[0028] Returning to Figure 1(a), as shown in Figure 1(b), a mat-type snow melting device 1 according to this embodiment is easy to transport, install, and remove. Heat-generating unit 10, consisting of wire mesh 16 and heating wire 17, is used as a core material, and both main surfaces of the core are covered with non-conductive elastomer sheets 11 and 12. Unvulcanized rubber, powdered rubber mats, and other materials can be used for the non-conductive elastomer sheets 11 and 12, and in this embodiment, a powdered rubber mat is used. Powdered rubber mats are made by compressing and molding old tires or similar materials into powder. Because of their flexibility, cushioning, and moderate strength, they have been used, for example, under Shinkansen train tracks.

[0029] In this embodiment, the control device 15 utilizes the simplest type of transformer. However, it can also be configured to perform more advanced and appropriate control based on various input information so that the mat-type snow melting device 1 performs the desired snow melting function. In this case, the various input information may include input from a temperature sensor (not shown) included in the heating unit 10, a controller or thermostat that responds to this input to control the current to maintain the temperature of the snow melting device 1 at a preset value, or input from an external snowfall or snow accumulation sensor (not shown), a controller that responds to this input to control the power on / off, or a combination of these. When the illustrated transformer is used, the operation of the mat-type snow melting device 1 itself is performed manually. The snow melting device 1 is placed on the road during snowfall, and the transformer is operated to apply a preset load voltage, allowing for constant or intermittent power supply.

[0030] The mat-type snow melting device 1 configured as described above is used as follows. When snow falls, one or more mat-type snow melting devices 1 are laid on the road surface to cover the required area of ​​the road surface where snow removal and melting are desired, and if multiple mats are used, they are wired together. The surface of the non-electric elastomer sheet 12 that comes into contact with the road surface has a certain degree of adhesiveness, so there is no significant slippage even when people or vehicles run over the top of the mat-type snow melting device 1. However, if necessary, the surface of the non-electric elastomer sheet 12 that comes into contact with the road surface can be coated with a liquid phenolic resin with high friction resistance, or with a removable adhesive, and if necessary, anchor members can be attached to certain locations to connect to the road surface or external fixed points.

[0031] The mat-type snow melting device 1 according to this embodiment is lightweight and easy to handle. Therefore, by installing it near expressway toll booths where deceleration and stopping are required, or near expressway entrance and exit roads that generally have sharp curves, it is effective in preventing slip accidents during snowfall and ensuring safety. For pedestrian use, its use on general walkways and especially at crosswalks enhances pedestrian safety. When used at crosswalks, it is more effective from a safety perspective to paint a zebra pattern directly on the surface of the elastomer sheet 11 on the top side of the mat-type snow melting device 1 to indicate a crosswalk. While the above explanations have focused on an example in which the mat-type snow melting device 1 is used to melt snow on road surfaces, the application is not limited to this, and it can also be used in other locations where snow removal or melting is desired, such as the roofs and eaves of houses, outdoor structures such as garages and storage sheds, and entrances and exits.

[0032] By using a wire mesh material or a metal plate with numerous voids perforated as the base material (core material) of the mat-type snow melting material, which is not found in conventional technology, various advantages can be obtained compared to conventional technology, such as the following: (1) It is lightweight yet has sufficient strength to maintain the mat's shape. (2) Despite its light weight, it has a high thermal capacity, which is advantageous for keeping warm. (3) A certain degree of flexibility and bendability is obtained, which is advantageous for handling and transportation. (4) The heating wires 17 can be easily attached to the base member such as the wire mesh 16 and arranged evenly. [Example]

[0033] In order to confirm the functionality of the mat-type snow melting device 1, a practical test was conducted using the following sample product. 1. Configuration of the heat generating unit 10 - Wire mesh: SUS304 stainless steel wire mesh, 1.2mm diameter x 3 mesh (7.266mm opening), size 200mm x 200mm Heating element: Nichrome wire 0.6mm diameter x 3m length + shrink silicon tube 3mm diameter 11.54 ohms - Transformer: V105 AC voltage regulator, input AC100V, output AC20-98V - Heating unit dimensions: 10mm thick x 250mm x 250mm 2. Measuring instruments used -Temperature measurement: Non-contact thermometer FLUKE59MAX -Voltage, resistance: Sanwa PC500a digital multimeter -Current: Digital clamp meter CUSLOM C-02 3.Measurement results -The transformer was turned on at two levels, 1.0 and 1.5, and measurements were taken every two minutes. Below are some of the results. -Measurement point is the center of the heating element. Room temperature is 19.9℃. TIFF0007813976000001.tif55134From the above, it was confirmed that sufficient heat was generated to melt the snow.

[0034] Next, a mat unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The mat unit MU according to this embodiment, shown in FIG. 2(a), is a unit formed by combining the mat-type snow melting device 1 described in the previous embodiment with a mat-type vehicle weight measurement device 2. The two devices 1 and 2 are stacked together to form an integrated unit, and they may be secured together by adhesive. Alternatively, other methods may be used, such as using unvulcanized rubber for the non-conductive elastomer sheet 12 located below the mat-type snow melting device 1 and the conductive sheet 21 located above the vehicle weight measurement device 2, and then pressurizing and bonding them together in a laminated state. Another method involves preparing a frame that surrounds the mat unit according to its shape, and then restraining the two mats so that they overlap within the frame.

[0035] Among the components of the mat unit MU, the mat-type weight measuring device 2 is the same as the vehicle weight measuring device described with reference to FIG. 6 in the prior art section. While some of the explanation will be redundant, in FIG. 2(a) the mat-type vehicle weight measuring device 2 is composed of a pair of conductive sheets 21, 22 made of conductive rubber and a non-conductive elastomer element 23 that maintains a fixed distance between them. The pair of conductive sheets 21, 22 correspond to the plates of a capacitor. When a vehicle runs over the illustrated mat unit MU, a load is applied to the mat-type vehicle weight measuring device 2 via the mat-type snow melting device 1 located on the upper layer. This causes the conductive sheet 21 to deform, thereby compressing the space between the pair of conductive sheets 21, 22. Accordingly, the capacitance or electrical resistance of the vehicle weight measuring device 2, which corresponds to a capacitor, changes linearly, and the vehicle weight can be measured by detecting this change.

[0036] In Figure 2(b), the weight measurement process of the mat-type weight measuring device 2 involves detecting the amount of change in capacitance caused by a change in the distance between a pair of conductive sheets 21, 22 via conductors attached to each conductive sheet 21, 22, which is then picked up by a bridge circuit 25, amplified by an amplifier 26, and A / D converted by an A / D converter 27. The converted value is processed by a CPU 28 and displayed as a weight value on a display 29, which is a series of operations. The basic concept of detecting vehicle weight from changes in capacitance using this mat-type measuring device is disclosed in Patent Document 5.

[0037] The mat unit MU is used by overlapping the mat-type snow melting device 1 and the mat-type vehicle weight measuring device 2 to form a single mat that is laid on the road surface. Therefore, by combining the two into a unit, it is possible to simultaneously perform road installation and removal work in one go when used in snowy regions, which has the advantage of improving work efficiency. By laying the mat unit MU on the road surface at the vehicle weight measurement location, it is possible to achieve stable weight measurement even when snow has accumulated, and it also has the advantage of being able to avoid errors caused by snow. It is even more effective if an additional mat-type snow melting device 1 is laid in a certain area in the direction the vehicle is approaching and placed together with the mat unit MU. The mat unit MU has a certain degree of flexibility, so it can be rolled up compactly and is easy to transport.

[0038] 2(a) is slightly exaggerated, but in reality, the thickness of the mat-type snow melting device 1 is about 5 mm to about 20 mm, the thickness of the mat-type vehicle weight measuring device 2 is about 15 mm, and the thickness of the entire mat unit MU is only about 20 mm to 35 mm, so there are no steps that would be an obstacle when a vehicle is getting on or off. If necessary, when providing the frame described above for laying the mat, the frame located in the direction of travel can be made sloped to mitigate the impact caused by steps.

[0039] In the previous embodiment, a wire mesh made of SUS304 stainless steel, an austenitic non-magnetic material, is used as the wire mesh 16 that serves as the base member of the heat generating section 10, which is the heat source of the mat-type snow melting device 1. This is also preferable in that it can eliminate the generation of electromagnetic waves and noise that can cause disturbances to the mat-type weight measuring device 2 that performs signal processing.

[0040] As another aspect of the mat unit MU of this embodiment, the weight measuring device 2 shown in Fig. 6 can be replaced with a vehicle speed measuring device. As explained in the prior art section with reference to Patent Document 6, by using a configuration similar to that of the weight measuring device 2 of Fig. 6 and incorporating a different logic, it is possible to capture the amount of change in capacitance or electrical resistance between the conductive sheets 21 and 22, which changes depending on the weight of a vehicle passing over the mat unit MU, and measure the time it takes for the vehicle to pass through at least half of that peak value, thereby detecting the vehicle speed. By combining such a mat-type vehicle speed detecting device with the mat-type snow melting device according to the previous embodiment to form a new mat unit, it becomes possible to effectively detect vehicle speed even in snow, similar to the weight measurement described above.

[0041] 2(a) shows the mat-type snow melting device 1 on the upper layer and the vehicle weight measuring device 2 on the lower layer, but this can also be reversed, with the vehicle weight measuring device 2 on the upper layer and the mat-type snow melting device 1 on the lower layer. This is expected to improve the accuracy of measuring the vehicle weight, and also allows the heat from the mat-type snow melting device 1 to be sufficiently transmitted to the upper layer. [Industrial Applicability]

[0042] The mat-type snow melting device of the present invention and the mat unit including said mat-type snow melting device can be widely used in industrial fields that develop, manufacture, and sell snow melting devices, as well as in various industrial fields that eliminate obstacles caused by snow accumulation and ensure smooth industrial distribution. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1. Mat type snow melting device, 2. Mat type vehicle weight measuring device, 10. Heat generating unit, 11, 12. Non-conductive elastomer sheet, 13. Fuse, 14. Lead wire, 15. Control device, 16. Wire mesh member (wire mesh), 17. Heating wire, 21, 22. Conductive sheet, 23. Non-conductive elastomer, 25. Bridge circuit, 26. Amplifier, 27. A / D converter, 28. CPU, 29. Display, MU. Mat unit.

Claims

1. A mat-type snow melting device that is installed outdoors during snowfall and uses electric heat to melt and remove snow. The heating element is made of a flat metal base member to which an electric heating wire is attached, and a pair of non-conductive elastomer sheets that sandwich the heating element and cover both main surfaces of the heating element. the flat metal base member is either a wire mesh member or a metal plate with a large number of voids perforated therein; A mat-type snow melting device characterized by its flexibility and bendability, which makes it easy to transport, install, and remove.

2. 2. A mat-type snow melting device according to claim 1, wherein the wire mesh member serving as the base member is a wire mesh or wire net made of iron, steel, stainless steel, or aluminum.

3. 2. A mat-type snow melting device as described in claim 1, wherein the metal plate having a large number of voids perforated therein that serves as the base member is an expanded metal or punched metal made of iron, steel, stainless steel, or aluminum.

4. 4. A mat-type snow melting device according to claim 2, wherein the stainless steel is a non-magnetic stainless steel.

5. A mat-type snow melting device as described in claim 1, wherein the heating unit is connected to either a control device that can manually control power or a control device that can automatically control power using input from either a temperature sensor or a snow accumulation sensor, or both, so as to maintain the appropriate temperature required for snow melting.

6. A mat-type snow melting device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mat-type snow melting device is formed as a mat unit in which either a mat-type vehicle weight measuring device or a vehicle speed measuring device, which is also a mat-type vehicle weight measuring device or a vehicle speed measuring device, is superimposed on the mat-type snow melting device and measures weight or speed by detecting changes in capacitance or electrical resistance that occur when a vehicle runs over the measuring device.

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